Shloka 4

Īśvara-gītā: The Supreme Lord as Brahman, the Source of Creation, and the Inner Self

Devanagari script

प्रधानं पुरुषो ह्यत्मा महान् भूतादिरेव च / तन्मात्राणि महाभूतानीन्द्रियाणि च जज्ञिरे

Transliteration

pradhānaṃ puruṣo hyatmā mahān bhūtādireva ca / tanmātrāṇi mahābhūtānīndriyāṇi ca jajñire

Translation

انبثق «برادهانا» (الطبيعة الأولى)، و«بوروشا» (مبدأ الوعي)، و«آتمن»، و«مَهان» (مَهَت، المبدأ العظيم)، و«بهوتادي» (مبدأ العناصر). ومن ذلك وُلدت «التنْماترا» (العناصر اللطيفة)، و«المهابهوتا» (العناصر الكبرى)، و«الإندريا» (قوى الحواس).

Word by Word

• प्रधानम्: Pradhāna (primordial matter)
• प्रधानम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुरुषः: Puruṣa (spirit/person)
• पुरुषः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• आत्मा: Self
• आत्मा: Pradhāna-predicative (विधेय/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महान्: Mahat (the Great principle)
• महान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सांख्य-तत्त्व ‘महान्’ (Mahat)

• भूतादिः: origin of beings/elements
• भूतादिः: Pradhāna-predicative (विधेय/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: भूतानाम् आदिः (origin of beings/elements)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तन्मात्राणि: tanmātras (subtle elements)
• तन्मात्राणि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् + मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: तस्य (तत्) मात्राणि (subtle elements)

• महाभूतानि: great elements
• महाभूतानि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: महान्ति भूतानि

• इन्द्रियाणि: sense organs
• इन्द्रियाणि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• जज्ञिरे: were born/arose
• जज्ञिरे: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; √जन् (to be born/arise)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu), teaching the sages/Indradyumna on cosmology and tattva-order

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Pradhana (Prakriti)
• Purusha
• Atman
• Mahat
• Tanmatras
• Mahabhutas
• Indriyas

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It places Ātman/Puruṣa as the conscious principle distinct from Pradhāna (Nature), while describing how cosmic principles (Mahat, bhūtādi) and the sensory-elemental world unfold—supporting the yogic insight that liberation comes from discerning the Self from prakṛtic evolutes.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports tattva-viveka (discrimination of principles) used in Yoga and Pāśupata-oriented renunciation: by understanding the chain from tanmātras to indriyas and mahābhūtas, one practices detachment from sense-objects and steadies awareness in the Ātman/Puruṣa.

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

While not naming them directly, the teaching reflects the Purāṇa’s synthesizing stance: the same supreme reality can be taught by Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) using categories also central to Śaiva/Pāśupata metaphysics—one truth expressed through shared tattva-language.