Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 85

Invocation, Purāṇa Lakṣaṇas, Kurma at the Samudra-manthana, and Indradyumna’s Liberation Teaching

Iśvara-Gītā Prelude

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवानुवाच वर्णाश्रमाचारवतां पुंसां देवो महेश्वरः / ज्ञानेन भक्तियोगेन पूजनीयो न चान्यथा

Transliteration

śrībhagavānuvāca varṇāśramācāravatāṃ puṃsāṃ devo maheśvaraḥ / jñānena bhaktiyogena pūjanīyo na cānyathā

Translation

The Blessed Lord said: For men who live in accordance with the disciplines of varṇa and āśrama, the divine Lord Maheśvara is to be worshipped through spiritual knowledge and the yoga of devotion—never in any other way.

Word by Word

• श्री-भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• श्री-भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; honorific title

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्ष), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada

• वर्ण-आश्रम-आचार-वताम्: of those observing varṇa-āśrama conduct
• वर्ण-आश्रम-आचार-वताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āśrama (प्रातिपदिक) + ācāra (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; genitive ‘of those who possess conduct of varṇa and āśrama’

• पुंसाम्: of men/people
• पुंसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṃs (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; in apposition/genitive with वर्णाश्रमाचारवताम्

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; apposition to देवः

• ज्ञानेन: by knowledge
• ज्ञानेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental

• भक्ति-योगेन: by devotion-yoga
• भक्ति-योगेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental ‘by bhakti-yoga’

• पूजनीयः: worthy to be worshipped
• पूजनीयः: Pradhāna-vidheya (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūjanīya (कृदन्त, √पूज् + अनीयर्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicate adjective to देवः/महेश्वरः ‘is to be worshipped’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

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

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb ‘otherwise/in another way’

Speaker

Śrī Bhagavān (Lord Kūrma/Vishnu) speaking within the Īśvara-gītā discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Varṇāśrama-dharma
• Jñāna
• Bhakti-yoga

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies that right worship is inward and transformative: through jñāna (discriminative spiritual understanding) and bhakti-yoga (devotional absorption), one approaches Maheśvara as the supreme divine reality rather than relying on merely external or alternative methods.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Bhakti-yoga is explicitly taught—devotional concentration and surrender—supported by jñāna, i.e., contemplation and right understanding. In the Īśvara-gītā setting, this aligns with a Pāśupata-oriented discipline where knowledge and devotion jointly purify the practitioner within varṇāśrama conduct.

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

Vishnu (as Lord Kūrma) instructs worship of Maheśvara, reflecting the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis: the supreme Lord is honored through devotion and knowledge, and sectarian separation is deemphasized in favor of shared yogic-spiritual means.