Shloka 5

Īśvara-gītā: Vibhūtis of the Supreme Lord and the Paśu–Paśupati Doctrine of Bondage and Release

Devanagari script

रुद्राणां शङ्करश्चाहं गरुडः पततामहम् / ऐरावतो गजेन्द्राणां रामः शस्त्रभृतामहम्

Transliteration

rudrāṇāṃ śaṅkaraścāhaṃ garuḍaḥ patatāmaham / airāvato gajendrāṇāṃ rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtāmaham

Translation

Unter den Rudras bin Ich Śaṅkara; unter den fliegenden Wesen bin Ich Garuḍa. Unter den königlichen Elefanten bin Ich Airāvata; unter den Waffenträgern bin Ich Rāma.

Word by Word

• रुद्राणाम्: of the Rudras
• रुद्राणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• शङ्करः: Śaṅkara
• शङ्करः: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction particle (समुच्चय)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• गरुडः: Garuḍa
• गरुडः: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garuḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• पतताम्: of the flying beings
• पतताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patat (प्रातिपदिक; present participle of √pat)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; substantivized participle 'of those who fly'

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ऐरावतः: Airāvata
• ऐरावतः: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: airāvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• गजेन्द्राणाम्: of the lords of elephants
• गजेन्द्राणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaja + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; तत्पुरुष: 'lord of elephants'

• रामः: Rāma
• रामः: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• शस्त्रभृताम्: of weapon-bearers
• शस्त्रभृताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śastra + bhṛt (प्रातिपदिक; bhṛt from √bhṛ)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; तत्पुरुष: 'bearer of weapons'

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita style discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Rudras
• Shankara (Shiva)
• Garuda
• Airavata
• Rama

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as the indwelling Lord who expresses His sovereignty through the highest exemplars in every class—showing that the Atman/Ishvara is one reality appearing as many excellences (vibhutis).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports vibhuti-upāsanā: contemplation of Ishvara through sacred archetypes (Śaṅkara, Garuḍa, Airāvata, Rāma). In the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-oriented framework, such focused remembrance steadies the mind for devotion, concentration, and inner purification.

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

By declaring “Among the Rudras I am Śaṅkara,” the speaker (Kurma/Vishnu) includes Śiva as a supreme manifestation of the one Ishvara, expressing the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis rather than sectarian separation.