Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 145

Prāyaścitta for Theft, Forbidden Foods, Impurity, and Ritual Lapses; Tīrtha–Vrata Remedies; Pativratā Mahātmyam via Sītā and Agni

Devanagari script

व्यास उवाच इत्येष मानवो धर्मो युष्माकं कथितो मया / महेशाराधनार्थाय ज्ञानयोगं च शाश्वतम्

Transliteration

vyāsa uvāca ityeṣa mānavo dharmo yuṣmākaṃ kathito mayā / maheśārādhanārthāya jñānayogaṃ ca śāśvatam

Translation

व्यास ने कहा—इस प्रकार मैंने तुम्हें मानव-धर्म का विधान बताया, और महेश (शिव) की आराधना-प्रसन्नता के लिए शाश्वत ज्ञान-योग भी।

Word by Word

• व्यासः: Vyāsa
• व्यासः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्ति सूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मानवः: human
• मानवः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (धर्मस्य)

• धर्मः: dharma; duty
• धर्मः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• युष्माकम्: of you (plural)
• युष्माकम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• कथितः: told; narrated
• कथितः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग-सूचक

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण/Instrument; agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महेश: Mahēśa (Śiva)
• महेश: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समास-पूर्वपद (उपपद)

• आराधन: worship; propitiation
• आराधन: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ-राध् (धातु) + ल्युट्/अन (कृदन्त; भाववाचक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप (action noun)

• अर्थाय: for the purpose
• अर्थाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (purpose)

• महेशाराधनार्थाय: for the purpose of worshipping Mahēśa
• महेशाराधनार्थाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश + आराधन + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: ‘महेशस्य आराधनस्य अर्थः’); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्ञान: knowledge
• ज्ञान: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समास-पूर्वपद

• योगम्: yoga; discipline
• योगम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ज्ञानयोगम्: the yoga of knowledge
• ज्ञानयोगम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: ‘ज्ञानस्य योगः’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शाश्वतम्: eternal
• शाश्वतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (ज्ञानयोगस्य)

Speaker

Vyasa

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Vyasa
• Mahesha (Shiva)
• Jnana Yoga
• Mānava-dharma

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By pairing mānava-dharma with “eternal jñāna-yoga,” the verse points to liberation through knowledge: right conduct matures into inner discernment that realizes the abiding Self beyond transient action.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse explicitly highlights jñāna-yoga—discipline of liberating knowledge—presented as a śāśvata (perennial) means, and framed as supportive of Maheśa-ārādhana, i.e., devotion expressed through contemplative insight.

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

Though Vyāsa speaks within the Kurma Purana’s Vaiṣṇava frame, he directs the teaching toward Maheśa’s worship, reflecting the text’s non-sectarian synthesis where devotion and knowledge culminate in the same Supreme reality honored as Śiva.