Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

Varnāśrama-Krama, Vairāgya as the Ground of Saṃnyāsa, and Brahmārpaṇa Karma-yoga

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मणा दीयते देयं ब्रह्मणे संप्रदीयते / ब्रह्मैव दीयते चेति ब्रह्मार्पणमिदं परम्

Transliteration

brahmaṇā dīyate deyaṃ brahmaṇe saṃpradīyate / brahmaiva dīyate ceti brahmārpaṇamidaṃ param

Translation

Die Gabe wird von Brahman dargebracht; sie wird in Brahman dargebracht; und Brahman allein ist das Dargebrachte—dies ist das höchste Darbringen in Brahman (brahmārpaṇa).

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahman
• ब्रह्मणा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• दीयते: is given
• दीयते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• देयम्: that which is to be given (the offering)
• देयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deya (कृदन्त; दा धातोः यत्)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here as subject of passive

• ब्रह्मणे: to Brahman
• ब्रह्मणे: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• संप्रदीयते: is duly offered/given over
• संप्रदीयते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-pra-dā (धातु)
• Form: लट्, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• दीयते: is given
• दीयते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: लट्, कर्मणि-प्रयोग, आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

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

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• ब्रह्म-अर्पणम्: offering to Brahman / Brahman-offering
• ब्रह्म-अर्पणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman + arpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate adjective qualifying इदम्/ब्रह्मार्पणम्

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing on consecrated action (brahmārpaṇa) in a Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis framework

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents a non-dual vision where agent, act, recipient, and the offered substance are all understood as Brahman—pointing to the Supreme Self as the single reality behind all sacrificial and ethical action.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes karma-yoga as inner discipline: performing giving, worship, and duty with the contemplative recognition that all action is consecrated to the Absolute—an attitude that supports Pāśupata-style purification through devotion and renunciation of ego-agency.

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

By grounding worship and offering in Brahman beyond sectarian boundaries, it supports the Kurma Purana’s non-dual, integrative stance where Shaiva and Vaishnava forms are honored as expressions of one supreme reality.