Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

सावित्री सर्वजप्यानां गुह्यानां प्रणवो ऽस्म्यहम् / सूक्तानां पौरुषं सूक्तं ज्येष्ठसाम च सामसु

Transliteration

sāvitrī sarvajapyānāṃ guhyānāṃ praṇavo 'smyaham / sūktānāṃ pauruṣaṃ sūktaṃ jyeṣṭhasāma ca sāmasu

Translation

સર્વ જપનીય મંત્રોમાં હું સાવિત્રી (ગાયત્રી) છું, ગુહ્ય મંત્રોમાં હું પ્રણવ (ૐ) છું. સૂક્તોમાં હું પૌરુષ સૂક્ત છું અને સામગાનોમાં હું જ્યેષ્ઠ-સામ છું.

Word by Word

• सावित्री: Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī mantra)
• सावित्री: कर्तृ/प्राधान्य-निर्देश (predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• सर्वजप्यानाम्: of all that are to be recited
• सर्वजप्यानाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वजप्य (प्रातिपदिक) = सर्व + जप्य (gerundive adj.)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (Plural); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) (agreeing with implied 'मन्त्राणाम्'); विशेषण (adjectival genitive)

• गुह्यानाम्: of secret (mantras)
• गुह्यानाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (Plural); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) (agreeing with implied 'मन्त्राणाम्'); विशेषण

• प्रणवः: Praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवः: कर्तृ/प्राधान्य-निर्देश (predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• अस्मि: am
• अस्मि: क्रिया (verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/लट्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• सूक्तानाम्: of hymns
• सूक्तानाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (Plural); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• पौरुषम्: Pauruṣa (relating to Puruṣa)
• पौरुषम्: विशेषण (adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पौरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); विशेषण of 'सूक्तम्'

• सूक्तम्: hymn
• सूक्तम्: कर्तृ/प्राधान्य-निर्देश (predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); here as predicate nominative

• ज्येष्ठसाम: the Jyeṣṭha-sāman chant
• ज्येष्ठसाम: कर्तृ/प्राधान्य-निर्देश (predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठसामन् (प्रातिपदिक) = ज्येष्ठ + सामन्
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) (stem in -an, nom/acc sg often same in citation); here as predicate nominative

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सामसु: among the sāman-chants
• सामसु: अधिकरण (सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन (Plural); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) teaching as the Supreme Lord (Īśvara)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī)
• Praṇava (Oṃ)
• Pauruṣa Sūkta
• Jyeṣṭha-sāman
• Sāmaveda

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By identifying Himself with the most authoritative Vedic sound-forms (Gāyatrī, Oṃ, Puruṣa Sūkta, Sāman), the Lord teaches that the Supreme is accessible as śabda-brahman—divine consciousness revealed through sacred mantra and hymn.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds japa (disciplined repetition) and contemplation of Praṇava (Oṃ) and Gāyatrī as core supports for meditation—standard purāṇic-yogic methods that purify mind, steady prāṇa, and lead toward īśvara-smṛti (continuous God-remembrance).

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

Rather than sectarian rivalry, the teaching frames the Supreme as the one reality behind Vedic revelation; in the Kurma Purana’s synthesis, this Īśvara can be praised through both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva lenses, with mantra as a shared bridge to the same highest truth.