Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

कर्मण्यस्य भवेद् दोषः पुण्यापुण्यमिति स्थितिः / तद्वशादेव सर्वेषां सर्वदेहसमुद्भवः

Transliteration

karmaṇyasya bhaved doṣaḥ puṇyāpuṇyamiti sthitiḥ / tadvaśādeva sarveṣāṃ sarvadehasamudbhavaḥ

Translation

Im Handeln entsteht für dieses verkörperte Wesen der Zustand, den man Verdienst und Schuld nennt. Und unter der Herrschaft eben dieses Karma kommt die Entstehung aller Körper für alle Wesen zustande.

Word by Word

• karmaṇi: in action/karma
• karmaṇi: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Saptamī-vibhakti (locative/सप्तमी), Ekavacana; adhikaraṇa

• asya: of this (one)
• asya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī-vibhakti (genitive/षष्ठी), Ekavacana; sarvanāma

• bhavet: would be/arises
• bhavet: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (optative/विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• doṣaḥ: fault
• doṣaḥ: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: doṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• puṇya-apuṇyam: merit and demerit
• puṇya-apuṇyam: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + apuṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā, Ekavacana; dvandva (copulative): 'merit and demerit'

• iti: thus (called)
• iti: Sambandha-bodhaka (Quotative/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात) marking content/label

• sthitiḥ: state/condition
• sthitiḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate to subject/कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthiti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate/apposition to 'doṣaḥ'

• tad-vaśāt: due to its control
• tad-vaśāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + vaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva: 'tad-vaśāt' = 'under its control'; ablatival adverbial sense

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha-bodhaka (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa-nipāta (emphatic particle/अवधारण)

• sarveṣām: of all
• sarveṣām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (generic), Ṣaṣṭhī-vibhakti (genitive/षष्ठी), Bahuvacana; 'of all (beings)'

• sarva-deha-samudbhavaḥ: the arising of all bodies
• sarva-deha-samudbhavaḥ: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + deha (प्रातिपदिक) + samudbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'sarveṣāṃ dehānāṃ samudbhavaḥ' (origin of all bodies)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing King Indradyumna (contextual teaching on karma and embodiment)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Karma
• Puṇya
• Apuṇya
• Deha (body)
• Jīva (implied)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies the Self is not the body: bodies arise due to karma (puṇya/apuṇya), so embodiment is a karmic condition superimposed on the conscious principle rather than the true identity of the Ātman.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse frames the need for Yoga as karma-purification: by disciplining action (dharma), reducing doṣa (binding impurity), and cultivating sattva through devotion and contemplation—later systematized in the Kurma Purana’s yoga teachings (including Pāśupata-oriented restraints and inner worship).

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

By focusing on karma as the universal law governing embodiment, it supports the Purana’s synthesis: whether approached through Vaiṣṇava devotion (Lord Kūrma) or Śaiva disciplines (Pāśupata purification), liberation requires transcending puṇya/apuṇya and their bodily consequences.