Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 81

Īśvara-Gītā (continued): Twofold Yoga, Aṣṭāṅga Discipline, Pāśupata Meditation, and the Unity of Nārāyaṇa–Maheśvara

Devanagari script

चेतसा सर्वकर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्परः / निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा मामेकं शरणं व्रजेत्

Transliteration

cetasā sarvakarmāṇi mayi saṃnyasya matparaḥ / nirāśīrnirmamo bhūtvā māmekaṃ śaraṇaṃ vrajet

Translation

With the mind, renouncing all actions into Me and taking Me as the supreme goal, free from expectation and possessiveness, one should go for refuge to Me alone.

Word by Word

• चेतसा: with the mind
• चेतसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• सर्वकर्माणि: all actions
• सर्वकर्माणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समास

• मयि: in me
• मयि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• संन्यस्य: having renounced/entrusted
• संन्यस्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + नि + अस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund); अर्थः—‘having renounced/placed down’

• मत्परः: devoted to me
• मत्परः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत् + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मयि परः = devoted to me)

• निराशीः: without desire/expectation
• निराशीः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + आशिन्/आशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्गजन्य विशेषण; अर्थः—‘without expectation’

• निर्ममः: without ‘mine’-ness
• निर्ममः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + मम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः—‘without possessiveness’

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund); अर्थः—‘having become’

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• एकम्: alone/one
• एकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘माम्’ इति विशेषण

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्यर्थक्रियायाः (व्रजेत्) कर्मरूपेण

• व्रजेत्: should go/seek
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching the Ishvara Gita to King Indradyumna

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• Ishvara (Supreme Lord)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It points to Īśvara as the ultimate refuge and goal, teaching that liberation arises when actions and their ownership are inwardly surrendered to the Supreme, dissolving egoic doership and possessiveness.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes karma-yoga aligned with Pāśupata-style devotion: mentally offering all actions to the Lord, remaining result-free (nirāśīḥ), relinquishing ‘mine’ (nirmama), and cultivating single-point surrender (eka-śaraṇa).

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

By centering surrender to the one Īśvara beyond sectarian division, it supports the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis: the Supreme Lord—praised as Vishnu in the Kurma form and harmonized with Rudra/Śiva in spirit—is the single refuge.