Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 134

Īśvara-Gītā (continued): Twofold Yoga, Aṣṭāṅga Discipline, Pāśupata Meditation, and the Unity of Nārāyaṇa–Maheśvara

Devanagari script

भवन्तो ऽपि हि तं देवं शंभुं गोवृषवाहनम् / प्रपद्यध्वं सपत्नीकाः सपुत्राः शरणं शिवम्

Transliteration

bhavanto 'pi hi taṃ devaṃ śaṃbhuṃ govṛṣavāhanam / prapadyadhvaṃ sapatnīkāḥ saputrāḥ śaraṇaṃ śivam

Translation

Darum sollt auch ihr Zuflucht nehmen zu jenem göttlichen Herrn Śambhu—Śiva, dessen Reittier der Stier ist—naht euch Ihm mit euren Frauen und euren Söhnen und ergibt euch allein Śiva als eurem Schutz.

Word by Word

• bhavantaḥ: you (honorific, plural)
• bhavantaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavant (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम-प्राय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Plural); आदरार्थे ‘you’

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात — ‘also’

• hi: indeed / for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात — हेतौ/निश्चयार्थे

• tam: that (him)
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• devam: god
• devam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• śambhum: Śambhu
• śambhum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śambhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• go-vṛṣa-vāhanam: whose vehicle is the bull (Nandin)
• go-vṛṣa-vāhanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + vāhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (determinative): go-vṛṣaḥ asya vāhanam / go-vṛṣa-vāhanaḥ

• prapadyadhvam: take refuge / surrender
• prapadyadhvam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-pad (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• sa-patnīkāḥ: together with (your) wives
• sa-patnīkāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-सदृश) + patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभावः: ‘पत्नीभिः सह’ (with wives)

• sa-putrāḥ: together with (your) sons
• sa-putrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-सदृश) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभावः: ‘पुत्रैः सह’ (with sons)

• śaraṇam: refuge
• śaraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्यर्थे

• śivam: Śiva
• śivam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the sages/seekers within the Ishvara Gita discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Shambhu
• Shiva
• Govrishavahana (bull-mounted Shiva)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By directing seekers to take śaraṇa (refuge) in Śiva as the ultimate shelter, the verse frames the Supreme as the final ground of protection and liberation—implying that the highest Self is realized through wholehearted surrender to Īśvara.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The practice emphasized is śaraṇāgati (surrender) as a core limb of Pāśupata-oriented devotion: approaching the Lord with single-minded dependence, aligning one’s life (including household duties) toward Īśvara-bhakti rather than mere ritualism.

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

Within the Ishvara Gita setting, Lord Kūrma (a Viṣṇu form) teaches surrender to Śiva, expressing the Purāṇic non-sectarian synthesis where the Supreme is honored as one—here named Śiva—without contradicting Viṣṇu’s divinity.