Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 72

Invocation, Purāṇa Lakṣaṇas, Kurma at the Samudra-manthana, and Indradyumna’s Liberation Teaching

Iśvara-Gītā Prelude

Devanagari script

नमस्ते निर्विकाराय निष्प्रपञ्चाय ते नमः / भेदाभेदविहीनाय नमो ऽस्त्वानन्दरूपिणे

Transliteration

namaste nirvikārāya niṣprapañcāya te namaḥ / bhedābhedavihīnāya namo 'stvānandarūpiṇe

Translation

Verehrung Dir, dem Unwandelbaren; Verehrung Dir, jenseits aller phänomenalen Entfaltung. Verehrung Dir, frei sowohl von Unterschied als auch von Nicht-Unterschied—Verehrung Dir, dessen Wesen Ānanda, selige Wonne, ist.

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• निर्विकाराय: to the changeless
• निर्विकाराय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; निः-उपसर्गपूर्वक विशेषण

• निष्प्रपञ्चाय: to the one beyond manifestation/phenomenal world
• निष्प्रपञ्चाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्प्रपञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; निः-उपसर्गपूर्वक विशेषण

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• भेद-अभेद-विहीनाय: to the one devoid of difference and non-difference
• भेद-अभेद-विहीनाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भेद + अभेद + विहीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद (भेदश्च अभेदश्च) + तत्पुरुष (ताभ्यां विहीनः)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (अस् धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आनन्दरूपिणे: to the one whose form is bliss
• आनन्दरूपिणे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आनन्द + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (आनन्दः रूपं यस्य/आनन्दरूपः)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Īśvara-gītā context) / Devotee-sage voice offering stuti to the Supreme (Śiva-Nārāyaṇa synthesis)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara
• Ānanda (Bliss)
• Nirvikāra Brahman
• Niṣprapañca (Transcendent Reality)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as nirvikāra (unchanging) and niṣprapañca (beyond the manifested world), indicating an Atman/Brahman that is not conditioned by phenomena and is intrinsically ānanda (bliss).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports nirvikalpa-style contemplation: meditating on the Lord as beyond prapañca and beyond conceptual pairs (bheda/abheda), a foundation for the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-oriented inner detachment and one-pointed devotion to Īśvara.

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

By praising a single Īśvara who transcends all dualities, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava synthesis: the ultimate reality is one, approached through names and forms such as Śiva or Nārāyaṇa without contradiction.