Shloka 37

Commencement of the Upari-bhāga: The Sages Request Brahma-vidyā; Vyāsa Recalls the Badarikā Inquiry and Śiva–Viṣṇu Theophany

Devanagari script

किमर्थं पुण्डरीकाक्ष मुनीन्द्रा ब्रह्मवादिनः / इमं समागता देशं किं वा कार्यं मयाच्युत

Transliteration

kimarthaṃ puṇḍarīkākṣa munīndrā brahmavādinaḥ / imaṃ samāgatā deśaṃ kiṃ vā kāryaṃ mayācyuta

Translation

Ô Toi aux yeux de lotus, pourquoi ces sages éminents, docteurs du Brahman, sont-ils venus en ce lieu ? Et, ô Acyuta, quelle tâche doit être accomplie par moi ?

Word by Word

• किमर्थम्: for what purpose? why?
• किमर्थम्: Hetu/Prayojana (हेतु/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्यय (interrogative adverb): ‘for what purpose?’

• पुण्डरीकाक्ष: O lotus-eyed one
• पुण्डरीकाक्ष: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्डरीक + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; epithet ‘lotus-eyed’

• मुनीन्द्राः: chief sages
• मुनीन्द्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ब्रह्मवादिनः: expounders of Brahman/Veda
• ब्रह्मवादिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; apposition to मुनीन्द्राः

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma (कर्म) — object of motion
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally with देशम्

• समागताः: have come, arrived
• समागताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-गम् (धातु) → समागत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; used predicatively ‘have come’

• देशम्: place, region
• देशम्: Karma (कर्म) — goal/place as object with motion
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (कर्म) — predicate/object in question
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; interrogative ‘what?’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (particle of alternative)

• कार्यम्: task, purpose, business
• कार्यम्: Karma (कर्म) — thing to be done
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘task/need’

• मया: by me / with me
• मया: Karana/Agent-in-instrumental (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• अच्युत: O Acyuta (infallible one)
• अच्युत: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

King Indradyumna (addressing Lord Vishnu as Puṇḍarīkākṣa/Acyuta)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Puṇḍarīkākṣa (Vishnu)
• Acyuta (Vishnu)
• Munīndras (great sages)
• Brahmavādins

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by calling the sages “brahmavādins,” the verse frames the encounter as oriented toward Brahman/Atman knowledge, with Vishnu addressed as the divine focus of that inquiry.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No technique is taught in this line; it sets the narrative preface for instruction—an attitude of śraddhā and readiness for dharma and yogic teaching that later culminates in Kurma Purana’s yoga and Ishvara-centered disciplines.

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

It does not explicitly mention Shiva, but its Brahman-centered framing aligns with the Kurma Purana’s broader non-sectarian synthesis, where supreme reality is taught through Vishnu/Kurma while harmonizing Shaiva and Vaishnava viewpoints.