Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 56

Brahmacārin-Dharma: Guru-Sevā, Daily Vedic Study, Gāyatrī-Japa, and Anadhyāya Regulations

Devanagari script

गायत्री वेदजननी गायत्री लोकपावनी / न गायत्र्याः परं जप्यमेतद् विज्ञाय मुच्यते

Transliteration

gāyatrī vedajananī gāyatrī lokapāvanī / na gāyatryāḥ paraṃ japyametad vijñāya mucyate

Translation

الغاياتري هي أمُّ الفيدات، والغاياتري مطهِّرة العوالم. لا جَپا (ترديد) أسمى من الغاياتري؛ من عرف هذه الحقيقة تحرّر ونال الخلاص.

Word by Word

• गायत्री: Gāyatrī
• गायत्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वेदजननी: mother of the Veda
• वेदजननी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + जननी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वेदस्य जननी)

• गायत्री: Gāyatrī
• गायत्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; पुनरुक्त्या स्तुतिः

• लोकपावनी: purifier of the worlds
• लोकपावनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोक + पावनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लोकस्य पावनी)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (particle of negation)

• गायत्र्याः: than Gāyatrī/from Gāyatrī
• गायत्र्याः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; ‘गायत्र्याः परम्’ = ‘गायत्री-परतः’

• परम्: higher/superior
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; ‘श्रेष्ठतरम्’ अर्थे

• जप्यम्: to be recited
• जप्यम्: Karya (कार्य/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘जपनीयम्’

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; निर्देश

• विज्ञाय: having known
• विज्ञाय: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• मुच्यते: is liberated
• मुच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing sages in a dharma/mantra context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Gāyatrī
• Veda
• Japa
• Mokṣa

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By declaring Gāyatrī-japa as the highest and as leading to liberation, the verse points to inner realization (vijñāya) as the means to freedom—suggesting that mantra is a direct aid to recognizing the Self beyond bondage.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes mantra-yoga through disciplined japa of Gāyatrī, joined with understanding (jñāna/vijñāna). In Kurma Purana-style sādhanā, such japa functions as purification (loka-pāvanī) and supports concentration and inner steadiness aligned with dharma.

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

While not naming Śiva directly, it reflects the Purana’s integrative approach: liberation is taught through universally honored Vedic mantra practice (Gāyatrī) rather than sectarian exclusivity, consistent with Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis in sādhanā.