Shloka 35

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

Devanagari script

यदा पश्यति चात्मानं केवलं परमार्थतः / मायामात्रं जगत् कृत्स्नं तदा भवति निर्वृतः

Transliteration

yadā paśyati cātmānaṃ kevalaṃ paramārthataḥ / māyāmātraṃ jagat kṛtsnaṃ tadā bhavati nirvṛtaḥ

Translation

Wenn man das Selbst (Ātman) allein als höchste Wirklichkeit schaut und das ganze Universum nur als māyā erkennt, dann wird man völlig befriedet und ruht in der Stille der Befreiung.

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: सम्बन्ध/कालाधिकरण (kāla-adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय: 'when'

• पश्यति: sees
• पश्यति: क्रिया (kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (पश्) (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg.)

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

• आत्मानम्: the Self
• आत्मानम्: कर्म (karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (आत्मन्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (acc. sg.)

• केवलम्: only
• केवलम्: विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण (modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kevala (केवल) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as adverbial adjective: 'only')

• परमार्थतः: ultimately
• परमार्थतः: सम्बन्ध (manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paramārthatas (परमार्थतः) (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): 'in the highest truth/ultimately'

• मायामात्रम्: mere illusion
• मायामात्रम्: विशेषण (viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māyā-mātra (मायामात्र) = māyā (माया) + mātra (मात्र) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neut. sg.)

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: कर्ता (karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (जगत्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (nom. sg.)

• कृत्स्नम्: entire
• कृत्स्नम्: विशेषण (viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛtsna (कृत्स्न) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neut. sg.)

• तदा: then
• तदा: सम्बन्ध/कालाधिकरण (kāla-adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय: 'then'

• भवति: becomes
• भवति: क्रिया (kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू) (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg.)

• निर्वृतः: peaceful/content
• निर्वृतः: विशेषण (viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir+√vṛt (वृत्) + kta (क्त) (धातु)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'cooled/at peace, content'

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing in a jñāna-yoga frame consistent with Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Atman
• Maya
• Jagat

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Ātman is the sole ultimate reality (paramārtha); liberation arises when one directly realizes the Self as exclusive truth rather than identifying with the changing world.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse implies jñāna-yoga grounded in viveka (discrimination): sustained contemplation that separates the seer (Ātman) from the seen (jagat), leading to inner stillness (nirvṛti). In the Kurma Purana’s broader yoga-śāstra tone, this aligns with meditative absorption supported by detachment (vairāgya).

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

Though not naming them, the teaching reflects the Purana’s synthetic non-dual stance: the liberating knowledge of the one Self is compatible with both Shaiva (Pāśupata-oriented) and Vaishnava devotion, presenting a shared metaphysical ground beyond sectarian difference.