Shloka 20

Prākṛta-pralaya, Pratisarga Doctrine, and the Ishvara-Samanvaya of Yoga and Devotion

Devanagari script

एवं संहृत्य भूतानि तत्त्वानि च महेश्वरः / वियोजयति चान्योन्यं प्रधानं पुरुषं परम्

Transliteration

evaṃ saṃhṛtya bhūtāni tattvāni ca maheśvaraḥ / viyojayati cānyonyaṃ pradhānaṃ puruṣaṃ param

Translation

So zieht Mahādeva, der Große Herr, nachdem er Wesen und Tattvas zurückgenommen hat, Pradhāna (die ursprüngliche Natur) und den höchsten Puruṣa (den Geist) voneinander ab und trennt sie.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• संहृत्य: having withdrawn
• संहृत्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having withdrawn/absorbed’

• भूतानि: beings/elements
• भूतानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तत्त्वानि: principles (tattvas)
• तत्त्वानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara (the Great Lord)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय: महान् ईश्वरः

• वियोजयति: separates/disjoins
• वियोजयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-युज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• अन्योन्यम्: mutually/from each other
• अन्योन्यम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative; ‘mutually’)

• प्रधानम्: Pradhāna (primordial matter)
• प्रधानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुरुषम्: Puruṣa (spirit/person)
• पुरुषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) narrating Purāṇic-Sāṃkhya theology with Shaiva terminology (Maheśvara as the Supreme Lord).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara
• Pradhāna
• Puruṣa

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It distinguishes the supreme Puruṣa (pure consciousness) from Pradhāna (primordial Nature), implying liberation through discerning the Self as transcendent and not a product of tattvas.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports viveka (discriminative insight) central to Yogic sādhanā: recognizing the separateness of consciousness (Puruṣa) from Prakṛti’s evolutes (tattvas), a key contemplative axis echoed in Pāśupata-aligned renunciation and inner withdrawal.

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

Although spoken in a Vaiṣṇava narrative voice (Kurma/Vishnu), it uses the title Maheśvara for the Supreme Lord, reflecting the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis where the one Īśvara governs creation and dissolution beyond sectarian boundaries.