Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 96

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

Iśvara-Gītā Prelude

Devanagari script

इन्द्रद्युम्न उवाच के ते वर्णाश्रमाचारा यैः समाराध्यते परः / ज्ञानं च कीदृशं दिव्यं भावनात्रयसंस्थितम्

Transliteration

indradyumna uvāca ke te varṇāśramācārā yaiḥ samārādhyate paraḥ / jñānaṃ ca kīdṛśaṃ divyaṃ bhāvanātrayasaṃsthitam

Translation

Indradyumna sprach: „Welche Pflichten von Varṇa und Āśrama sind es, durch die der Höchste rechtmäßig verehrt wird? Und welches göttliche Wissen ist das—welcher Art—das in der dreifachen kontemplativen Einübung (bhāvanā) gegründet ist?“

Word by Word

• indradyumnaḥ: Indradyumna
• indradyumnaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indradyumna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच्)
• Form: Lit Lakara (Perfect), Prathama Purusha (3rd), Singular

• ke: what/which
• ke: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (किम्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• te: those/your
• te: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• varṇāśramācārāḥ: conduct of castes and stages of life
• varṇāśramācārāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṇāśramācāra (वर्णाश्रमाचार)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• yaiḥ: by which
• yaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• samārādhyate: is worshipped/propitiated
• samārādhyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rādh (राध्) + sam (सम्) + ā (आ)
• Form: Lat Lakara (Present), Karmaņi (Passive), Prathama Purusha (3rd), Singular

• paraḥ: The Supreme
• paraḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म) [in passive syntax acts as Subject]
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (पर)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• jñānam: knowledge
• jñānam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (ज्ञान)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• kīdṛśam: of what kind/nature
• kīdṛśam: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kīdṛśa (कीदृश)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• divyam: divine
• divyam: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (दिव्य)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• bhāvanātrayasaṃsthitam: established in the three types of mental conceptions (bhavanas)
• bhāvanātrayasaṃsthitam: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhāvanātrayasaṃsthita (भावनात्रयसंस्थित)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Indradyumna

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Indradyumna
• Para (Supreme/Ishvara)
• Varṇāśrama-dharma
• Bhāvanā-traya (threefold contemplation)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It frames the Supreme (Para/Iśvara) as the ultimate object of worship attainable through disciplined living (varṇāśrama-ācāra) and through divine knowledge (jñāna), implying that realization is both ethical-practical and contemplative.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to bhāvanā-traya—threefold contemplative cultivation—suggesting a structured yogic orientation where worship (upāsanā), knowledge (jñāna), and sustained inner contemplation (bhāvanā) converge in the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-leaning soteriology.

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

By using the inclusive term “Para” (the Supreme) and linking worship with yogic-knowledge discipline, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where the one Supreme is approached through shared dharma and contemplative practice, harmonizing Shaiva and Vaishnava paths.