Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 41

Īśvara-Gītā (continued): Twofold Yoga, Aṣṭāṅga Discipline, Pāśupata Meditation, and the Unity of Nārāyaṇa–Maheśvara

Devanagari script

एकाकारः समाधिः स्याद् देशालम्बनवर्जितः / प्रत्ययो ह्यर्थमात्रेण योगसाधनमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

ekākāraḥ samādhiḥ syād deśālambanavarjitaḥ / pratyayo hyarthamātreṇa yogasādhanamuttamam

Translation

يُقال إن السَّمادهي امتصاصٌ ذو صورةٍ واحدة، متحرّرٌ من الاعتماد على مكانٍ أو سندٍ خارجي. حقًّا، أسمى وسائل اليوغا هو ذلك الإدراك الذي يستقرّ على الموضوع وحده—لا شيء سوى المعنى المقصود.

Word by Word

• eka-ākāraḥ: single-formed, one-pointed
• eka-ākāraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + ākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); कर्मधारयः: ekaḥ ākāraḥ yasya

• samādhiḥ: samādhi, absorption
• samādhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samādhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

• syāt: would be / should be
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद

• deśa-ālambana-varjitaḥ: devoid of support of place
• deśa-ālambana-varjitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deśa (प्रातिपदिक) + ālambana (प्रातिपदिक) + varjita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); तत्पुरुष-समासः: deśa-ālambanam varjitam (having abandoned support of place); varjita = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) from √vṛj/√varj (to avoid)

• pratyayaḥ: cognition, mental content
• pratyayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

• hi: indeed, for
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ

• artha-mātreṇa: by mere object-meaning alone
• artha-mātreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Inst. 3), एकवचन (sg.); तत्पुरुषः: artha eva mātram

• yoga-sādhanam: the means of yoga
• yoga-sādhanam: Karta (कर्ता) / Pratijñā (predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक) + sādhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); तत्पुरुषः: yogasya sādhanaṃ

• uttamam: supreme, best
• uttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); योगसाधनस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching King Indradyumna within the Ishvara Gita discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Vishnu
• Ishvara Gita
• Samadhi
• Yoga

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

By defining samādhi as a single, support-free cognition resting only in the intended meaning, the verse points to inward, non-dependent awareness—an approach consistent with realizing the Self beyond spatial and external conditions.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes ekākāra-samādhi: sustained one-pointed cognition (pratyaya) that does not rely on a particular place, posture-support, or external aid, but holds only the chosen artha (meaning/object) as the sole content of meditation.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

Though not naming Śiva directly, the teaching reflects the Ishvara Gita’s shared yogic vocabulary across Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava streams—samādhi as object-only awareness—supporting the Kurma Purana’s synthesis of Pāśupata-style discipline within a Vishnu (Kurma) instruction framework.