Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 132

Devadāru (Dāruvana) Forest: The Delusion of Ritual Pride, the Liṅga Crisis, and the Teaching of Jñāna–Pāśupata Yoga

Devanagari script

तस्माद् भवद्भिर्विमलं ज्ञानं कैवल्यसाधनम् / ज्ञातव्यं हि प्रयत्नेन श्रोतव्यं दृश्यमेव च

Transliteration

tasmād bhavadbhirvimalaṃ jñānaṃ kaivalyasādhanam / jñātavyaṃ hi prayatnena śrotavyaṃ dṛśyameva ca

Translation

فلذلك ينبغي لكم أن تُنمّوا المعرفةَ الصافيةَ غيرَ الملوَّثة، وهي وسيلةُ الكيفَلْيَا (التحرّر في التفرد). حقًّا لا تُنال إلا بالاجتهاد: تُتعلَّم بالسماع، ويجب أيضًا أن تُرى رؤيةً مباشرة في الذات.

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore/from that
• tasmāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhavadbhiḥ: by you (hon.)
• bhavadbhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (भवत्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun of respect (भवत्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vimalam: pure
• vimalam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies jñānam

• jñānam: knowledge
• jñānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kaivalyasādhanam: a means to liberation
• kaivalyasādhanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kaivalya + sādhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); predicate/attribute of jñānam

• jñātavyam: should be known
• jñātavyam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); impersonal obligation

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis/indeed

• prayatnena: with effort
• prayatnena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prayatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• śrotavyam: should be heard
• śrotavyam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative, Singular; obligation

• dṛśyam: should be seen/realized
• dṛśyam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (यत्/णीय) in sense ‘to be seen’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• eva: certainly/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), restriction/emphasis

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the listeners (sages/seekers) in the Ishvara-Gita style teaching

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Kaivalya
• Jñāna

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It points to liberation through “vimala jñāna”—a purified, non-dual insight that must move beyond theory into direct seeing; this implies the Self is known by immediate realization, not merely by concepts.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes a classical progression: śravaṇa (hearing/scriptural study) leading to direct darśana/anubhava (experiential realization), implying disciplined practice and contemplation consistent with jñāna-yoga within the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-leaning framework.

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

By presenting liberation through pure knowledge as the central means, it aligns with the Purana’s synthetic approach where the same highest truth is taught across Shaiva and Vaishnava idioms, prioritizing realization over sectarian difference.