Shloka 40

Yati-Āśrama: Bhikṣā-vidhi, Īśvara-dhyāna, and Prāyaścitta

Mahādeva as Non-dual Brahman

Devanagari script

यस्मान्महीयते देवः स्वधाम्नि ज्ञानसंज्ञिते / आत्मयोगाह्वये तत्त्वे महादेवस्ततः स्मृतः

Transliteration

yasmānmahīyate devaḥ svadhāmni jñānasaṃjñite / ātmayogāhvaye tattve mahādevastataḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

Weil der Herr in Seiner eigenen Wohnstatt verherrlicht wird—die Wissen genannt wird—innerhalb der Wirklichkeit, die ‘Ātma-yoga’ (Yoga des Selbst) heißt, wird Er daher als Mahādeva, der Große Gott, in Erinnerung gehalten.

Word by Word

• yasmāt: from which/because of which
• yasmāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) / Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग) Ablative (5/पञ्चमी) Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun

• mahīyate: is glorified
• mahīyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √mah (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद); passive sense: 'is honored/glorified'

• devaḥ: the god (Lord)
• devaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• sva-dhāmni: in his own abode
• sva-dhāmni: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva + dhāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7/सप्तमी) Singular (एकवचन); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: 'in his own abode' (svasya dhāmni)

• jñāna-saṃjñite: called 'Knowledge'
• jñāna-saṃjñite: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñāna + saṃjñita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7/सप्तमी) Singular (एकवचन); adjective agreeing with dhāmni; tatpuruṣa: 'named as knowledge' (jñāna-iti saṃjñitam)

• ātma-yoga-āhvaye: called 'ātma-yoga'
• ātma-yoga-āhvaye: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ātman + yoga + āhvaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7/सप्तमी) Singular (एकवचन); adjective agreeing with tattve; tatpuruṣa: 'having the appellation “ātma-yoga”'

• tattve: in the principle/reality
• tattve: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7/सप्तमी) Singular (एकवचन)

• mahādevaḥ: Mahādeva
• mahādevaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• tataḥ: therefore
• tataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय); adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) 'therefore/from that'

• smṛtaḥ: is called/known as
• smṛtaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (धातु) + ta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kridanta: past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग) Nominative (1/प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); predicate: 'is called/remembered'

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) teaching the sages (Iśvara-Gītā discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Mahadeva (Shiva)
• Atma-yoga
• Jnana (Knowledge)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Lord’s own ‘abode’ as jñāna (spiritual knowledge) and places Him within the tattva called Ātma-yoga—implying that realization of the Self through knowledge-yoga is the locus where the Supreme is directly praised and known.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds Ātma-yoga—inner discipline aimed at Self-realization—where knowledge (jñāna) is not merely intellectual but the Lord’s own domain, aligning with the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-leaning emphasis on inward contemplation and liberating insight.

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

With Viṣṇu (as Lord Kūrma) teaching and defining Śiva as ‘Mahādeva’ grounded in jñāna and Ātma-yoga, the text frames a complementary unity: the Supreme is praised through Self-knowledge, and Śiva’s greatness is affirmed within a discourse delivered by Viṣṇu.