Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 136

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

Devanagari script

एतत् तत् परमं ज्ञानं केवलं सन्निरञ्जनम् / अहं हि वेद्यो भगवान् मम मूर्तिरियं शिवा

Transliteration

etat tat paramaṃ jñānaṃ kevalaṃ sannirañjanam / ahaṃ hi vedyo bhagavān mama mūrtiriyaṃ śivā

Translation

هذا هو العلم الأسمى حقًّا—خالصٌ، واحدٌ، منزَّهٌ عن الدنس. أنا وحدي البهاغافان الذي ينبغي أن يُعرَف؛ وهذه شيفَا (Śivā) هي تجلّيي وصورتي عينها.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• केवलम्: alone, pure
• केवलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kevala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सत्-निरञ्जनम्: pure and stainless
• सत्-निरञ्जनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + nirañjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (sat = pure/true qualifying nirañjana = stainless)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Avadhāraṇa (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; emphasis/indeed

• वेद्यः: knowable
• वेद्यः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √vid (विद्) + ya (प्रत्यय) → vedya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्तव्य/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: ‘to be known’)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; -वत्-प्रातिपदिक

• मम: my
• मम: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (genitive)

• मूर्तिः: form, embodiment
• मूर्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (this)

• शिवा: auspicious
• शिवा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śivā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavan (Ishvara)
• Shiva (as Śivā/Śiva-principle)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It defines the highest realization as a pure, stainless knowing in which the ultimate object of knowledge is Bhagavān Himself—implying liberation through direct recognition of the Supreme Reality beyond impurity and limitation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes jñāna-oriented contemplation central to the Ishvara Gita and supportive of Pāśupata-style devotion: meditation that fixes awareness on the one knowable Lord as the sole, taintless reality.

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

It presents a synthesis: the speaking Lord identifies Śivā (the Śiva-principle/auspicious form) as His own manifestation, supporting the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava unity within a non-dual theistic framework.