Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 22

Divine Abodes on the Mountains — A Sacred Survey of Jambūdvīpa

Kailāsa to Siddha Realms

Devanagari script

तेषु योगरता विप्रा जापकाः संयतेन्द्रियाः / ब्रह्मण्यासक्तमनसो रमन्ते ज्ञानतत्पराः

Transliteration

teṣu yogaratā viprā jāpakāḥ saṃyatendriyāḥ / brahmaṇyāsaktamanaso ramante jñānatatparāḥ

Translation

Unter ihnen erfreuen sich die brahmanischen Weisen—im Yoga versunken, dem Japa (Mantra-Wiederholen) hingegeben und die Sinne gezügelt—mit an Brahman geheftetem Geist, auf befreiendes Wissen ausgerichtet.

Word by Word

• teṣu: among them / there
• teṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Loc./7th), बहुवचन

• yoga-ratāḥ: devoted to yoga
• yoga-ratāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक) + rata (कृदन्त; √ram रम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), बहुवचन; योगे रताः

• viprāḥ: brahmins, sages
• viprāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), बहुवचन

• jāpakāḥ: reciters (of mantra)
• jāpakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāpaka (प्रातिपदिक; from √jap जप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), बहुवचन

• saṃyata-indriyāḥ: with restrained senses
• saṃyata-indriyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃyata (कृदन्त; sam-√yam यम्) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः = संयतानि इन्द्रियाणि येषाम्

• brahmaṇi: in Brahman / in the sacred (Brahman)
• brahmaṇi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Loc./7th), एकवचन

• āsakta-manasāḥ: whose minds are attached (to Brahman)
• āsakta-manasāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āsakta (कृदन्त; ā-√sañj सञ्ज्) + manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः = आसक्तं मनः येषाम्

• ramante: they delight, rejoice
• ramante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ram (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद

• jñāna-tatparāḥ: intent on knowledge
• jñāna-tatparāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + tatpara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः = ज्ञाने तत्पराः (intent on knowledge)

Speaker

Narrative voice (Purana narrator describing the sages; traditionally conveyed through Sūta/Vyāsa-paramparā within the Kurma Purana frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Vipras (Brahmin sages)
• Yoga
• Japa
• Jñāna

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It points to Brahman as the supreme focus of contemplative life: the sages’ joy arises from minds anchored in Brahman and oriented to jñāna, implying the highest fulfillment is realized through knowledge of the Absolute (the Atman-Brahman horizon).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds a triad of sādhana: yogābhyāsa (steady absorption), japa (disciplined mantra repetition), and indriya-saṃyama (sense-restraint), culminating in jñāna—an integrated path typical of Kurma Purana’s practical spirituality.

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

While neither Shiva nor Vishnu is named explicitly, the verse frames liberation through Brahman-centered Yoga, a doctrinal bridge used in the Kurma Purana to harmonize Shaiva and Vaishnava approaches by emphasizing the one Supreme Reality realized through disciplined practice.