Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 20

Īśvara-gītā (Adhyāya 2) — Ātma-svarūpa, Māyā, and the Unity of Sāṅkhya–Yoga

Devanagari script

अनात्मन्यात्मविज्ञानं तस्माद् दुः खं तथेतरम् / रगद्वेषादयो दोषाः सर्वे भ्रान्तिनिबन्धनाः

Transliteration

anātmanyātmavijñānaṃ tasmād duḥ khaṃ tathetaram / ragadveṣādayo doṣāḥ sarve bhrāntinibandhanāḥ

Translation

Das Nicht-Selbst für das Selbst zu halten—daraus entsteht Leid und ebenso alles, was der Befreiung entgegensteht. Anhaftung, Abneigung und die übrigen Fehler sind allesamt an Verblendung als Ursache gebunden.

Word by Word

• anātmani: in the non-self
• anātmani: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: an-ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī-vibhakti (locative/सप्तमी), Ekavacana; adhikaraṇa (locus)

• ātma-vijñānam: knowledge (ascription) of self
• ātma-vijñānam: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + vijñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā-vibhakti (nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'ātmani vijñānam' / 'ātma-viṣayakaṃ vijñānam'

• tasmāt: therefore, from that
• tasmāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (तस्मात्), hetu/causal sense 'therefore/from that'

• duḥkham: sorrow
• duḥkham: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā, Ekavacana; subject coordinated with 'itaram'

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha-bodhaka (Adverb/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (adverb/क्रियाविशेषण), 'so/likewise'

• itaram: the other (pleasure)
• itaram: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: itara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā, Ekavacana; 'the other (i.e., pleasure)'

• rāga-dveṣa-ādayaḥ: attachment, aversion, etc.
• rāga-dveṣa-ādayaḥ: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāga (प्रातिपदिक) + dveṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; itaretara-tatpuruṣa with ādi: 'rāga-dveṣa-ādi' = 'attachment, aversion, etc.'

• doṣāḥ: faults
• doṣāḥ: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: doṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; in apposition to 'rāga-dveṣādayaḥ'

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; viśeṣaṇa of 'doṣāḥ'

• bhrānti-nibandhanāḥ: caused by delusion
• bhrānti-nibandhanāḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate to subject/कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhrānti (प्रातिपदिक) + nibandhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: 'bhrāntyā nibandhanam' / 'bhrānti-nimitta'; predicate adjective of 'doṣāḥ'

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing the sages (Kurma Purana teaching context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Atman
• Anatman
• Raga
• Dvesha
• Bhranti

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It points to viveka: the Self is distinct from the not-Self, and suffering begins when the not-Self is mistakenly taken as “I” or “mine.”

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse implies jñāna-yoga through ātmānātma-viveka (discrimination). In the Kurma Purana’s yogic frame, reducing bhrānti (delusion) weakens rāga-dveṣa and supports steady meditation and inner detachment.

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

By grounding bondage in delusion and advocating Self-knowledge, it aligns with the Purana’s shared Shaiva–Vaishnava soteriology: liberation comes through the same inner realization taught across both traditions, rather than sectarian difference.