Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 21

Yati-Āśrama: Bhikṣā-vidhi, Īśvara-dhyāna, and Prāyaścitta

Mahādeva as Non-dual Brahman

Devanagari script

तस्माद् ध्यानरतो नित्यमात्मविद्यापरायणः / ज्ञानं समभ्यसेद् ब्राह्मं येन मुच्येत बन्धनात्

Transliteration

tasmād dhyānarato nityamātmavidyāparāyaṇaḥ / jñānaṃ samabhyased brāhmaṃ yena mucyeta bandhanāt

Translation

অতএব সদা ধ্যানে রত ও আত্মবিদ্যায় নিবিষ্ট হয়ে, ব্রাহ্ম জ্ঞান নিরন্তর অনুশীলন করুক—যাহাতে বন্ধন হইতে মুক্তি হয়।

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति अव्ययीभाववत् निपात-प्रयोग; हेत्वर्थे (indeclinable in sense 'therefore/from that reason')

• dhyāna-rataḥ: devoted to meditation
• dhyāna-rataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhyāna-rata (प्रातिपदिक; ध्यान + रत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nom, Sg); कर्तृविशेषण

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of time)

• ātma-vidyā-parāyaṇaḥ: one devoted to self-knowledge
• ātma-vidyā-parāyaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ātma-vidyā-parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; आत्मन् + विद्या + परायण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nom, Sg); कर्तृविशेषण

• jñānam: knowledge
• jñānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Acc, Sg)

• samabhyaset: should practice
• samabhyaset: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-abhi-√as (अस्/अस्?) (धातु: √as 'to practice' in causative-less usage √as/√ās?; standard: samabhyas- from √as 'to practice')
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Optative, 3rd sg, Parasmaipada)

• brāhmam: pertaining to Brahman
• brāhmam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brāhma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Acc, Sg); ज्ञानम् विशेषण

• yena: by which
• yena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter relative pronoun, Instrumental, Sg)

• mucyeta: would be freed
• mucyeta: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √muc (मुच्) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि (Optative, 3rd sg, Ātmanepada; passive)

• bandhanāt: from bondage
• bandhanāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bandhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Ablative, Singular)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing the seeker in a Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis of Yoga and Jñāna

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Atman
• Dhyana
• Jnana
• Bandhana (bondage)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It points to Ātma-vidyā (knowledge of the Self) culminating in brāhma-jñāna—realization of Brahman—as the liberating insight that breaks bondage.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes steady dhyāna (meditative absorption) coupled with repeated cultivation (abhyāsa) of Brahman-knowledge, presenting meditation as the discipline that matures into liberating jñāna.

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

Though not naming them directly, the verse reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: devotion to meditative yoga and Brahman-realization is taught by Lord Kūrma in a way compatible with Shaiva (Pāśupata-leaning) and Vaishnava frameworks, converging in non-dual liberation.