Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 67

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

Devanagari script

एष पाशुपतो योगः पशुपाशविमुक्तये / सर्ववेदान्तसारो ऽयमत्याश्रममिति श्रुतिः

Transliteration

eṣa pāśupato yogaḥ paśupāśavimuktaye / sarvavedāntasāro 'yamatyāśramamiti śrutiḥ

Translation

هذا هو يوغا باشوباتا، شُرِعَ لتخليص الروح المقيَّدة (paśu) من قيود الحدّ (pāśa). وهو خلاصةُ جميع الفيدانتا، وقد أعلنت الشروتي أنه متجاوزٌ لكلّ الآشرمات.

Word by Word

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पाशुपतः: Pāśupata (of Paśupati)
• पाशुपतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाशुपत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; योगः इति विशेष्ये अन्वयः

• योगः: yoga/practice
• योगः: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पशु-पाश-विमुक्तये: for liberation from the bonds of beings
• पशु-पाश-विमुक्तये: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान; purpose/beneficiary)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु + पाश + विमुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पशूनां पाशानां विमुक्तिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; (dative/purpose)

• सर्व-वेदान्त-सारः: the essence of all Vedānta
• सर्व-वेदान्त-सारः: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + वेदान्त + सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (वेदान्तानां सारः; सर्वेषां वेदान्तानाम्); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अति-आश्रमम्: beyond the āśramas
• अति-आश्रमम्: Vacya/Quoted term (वाच्य; quoted expression)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (अति + आश्रमम् = ‘beyond āśrama’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; इति-उद्धरणे

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणार्थक-अव्यय (quotative)

• श्रुतिः: the śruti (scripture)
• श्रुतिः: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) expounding the Ishvara Gita teaching in a Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Pashupata Yoga
• Paśupati (Śiva)
• Śruti
• Vedānta
• paśu (bound soul)
• pāśa (bondage)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling this discipline the “essence of all Vedānta,” the verse points to Vedāntic realization as the goal: freedom of the individual self (paśu) from bondage (pāśa), culminating in liberating knowledge and union with the Supreme.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse specifically elevates Pāśupata Yoga as the liberating method—an Ishvara-centered (Paśupati/Śiva) path aimed at cutting the fetters of ignorance and limitation, and presented as a consummate Vedāntic sādhanā rather than merely a social-ritual observance.

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

Though spoken by Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu), the verse praises Pāśupata (Śaiva) Yoga as Vedānta’s essence, reflecting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where Śiva’s path and Vedāntic liberation are affirmed within a Vaiṣṇava speaker’s instruction.