Invocation, Purāṇa Lakṣaṇas, Kurma at the Samudra-manthana, and Indradyumna’s Liberation Teaching
Iśvara-Gītā Prelude
सर्वसङ्गान् परित्यज्य ज्ञात्वा मायामयं जगत् / अद्वैतं भावयात्मानं द्रक्ष्यसे परमेश्वरम्
sarvasaṅgān parityajya jñātvā māyāmayaṃ jagat / advaitaṃ bhāvayātmānaṃ drakṣyase parameśvaram
Alle Anhaftungen aufgebend und erkennend, dass diese Welt aus Māyā besteht, betrachte das Selbst als nicht-zwei (Advaita); dann wirst du Parameśvara, den höchsten Herrn, schauen.
Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita context
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
It teaches that the Ātman is to be realized as advaita (non-dual); by meditating on this non-dual Self, one directly realizes Parameśvara—indicating the inner identity of Self-realization and God-realization.
The verse emphasizes vairāgya (renunciation of saṅga/attachments), viveka regarding māyā (discerning the world’s māyā-made nature), and bhāvanā/dhyāna (steady contemplation of the non-dual Ātman)—a jñāna-oriented meditative discipline aligned with the Kurma Purana’s Ishvara Gita teachings.
By using the title Parameśvara while teaching non-dual realization, the verse supports the Purana’s synthesis: the supreme Lord is one reality, approached through inner Ātman-knowledge beyond sectarian difference (often expressed as Shiva–Vishnu unity in the Ishvara Gita milieu).