Previous Verse
Next Verse

Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 68

Virocana–Bali, Aditi’s Tapas, and the Vāmana–Trivikrama Episode

अथ रथचरणासिशङ्खपाणिं सरसिजोलचनमीशमप्रमेयम् / शरणमुपपयौ स भावयोगात् प्रणतगतिं प्रणिधाय कर्मयोगम्

atha rathacaraṇāsiśaṅkhapāṇiṃ sarasijolacanamīśamaprameyam / śaraṇamupapayau sa bhāvayogāt praṇatagatiṃ praṇidhāya karmayogam

そして彼は、バーヴァ・ヨーガ(信愛の観想)によって、量り知れぬイーシュヴァラに帰依した。蓮華の眼をもち、法螺貝と剣を執り、御足を戦車に置く主に対し、謙虚な五体投地を道と定め、カルマ・ヨーガ(奉献された行為の修行)に堅く住した。

अथthen
अथ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अनुक्रमार्थक (particle: then)
रथचरणासिशङ्खपाणिम्him whose hand bears (wheel/foot/ sword/ conch)
रथचरणासिशङ्खपाणिम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootरथचरणासिशङ्खपाणि (प्रातिपदिक) [रथ + चरण + असि + शङ्ख + पाणि]
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); बहुव्रीहिः—‘यस्य पाणौ रथ(चक्र)/चरण(पद)/असि(खड्ग)/शङ्खाः’ इति (one whose hand bears these)
सरसिजोलचनम्lotus-eyed
सरसिजोलचनम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootसरसिजोलचन (प्रातिपदिक) [सरसिज + लोचन]
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); बहुव्रीहिः—‘यस्य लोचने सरसिजे इव’ (lotus-eyed)
ईशम्the Lord
ईशम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootईश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)
अप्रमेयम्immeasurable; inconceivable
अप्रमेयम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootअप्रमेय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण of ईशम्
शरणम्for refuge
शरणम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootशरण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); क्रियाविशेषणवत्—‘शरणं गच्छति’
उपपयौapproached
उपपयौ:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootउप-इ (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)
सःhe
सः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)
भावयोगात्from/through devotional contemplation (bhāva-yoga)
भावयोगात्:
Hetu (हेतु)
TypeNoun
Rootभावयोग (प्रातिपदिक) [भाव + योग]
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (singular)
प्रणतगतिम्the course/way of prostration (humble resort)
प्रणतगतिम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रणतगति (प्रातिपदिक) [प्रणत + गति]
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)
प्रणिधायhaving fixed; having applied
प्रणिधाय:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-नि-धा (धातु)
Formल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाल (having fixed/placed; having applied)
कर्मयोगम्karma-yoga (discipline of action)
कर्मयोगम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मयोग (प्रातिपदिक) [कर्म + योग]
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator continuing the account of a devotee taking refuge in Īśvara)

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (treated as shanta-adjacent)

Ī
Īśvara (Supreme Lord)
L
Lotus-eyed Lord (Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa imagery)
C
Conch (Śaṅkha)
S
Sword (Asi)

FAQs

It points to the Supreme as “aprameya” (immeasurable), indicating a reality beyond ordinary mental measurement; realization is approached through disciplined action (karma-yoga) and inward devotional absorption (bhāva-yoga), culminating in surrender.

Two complementary disciplines are named: karma-yoga (actions dedicated and offered with inner steadiness) and bhāva-yoga (devotional contemplation that ripens into absorption). Both are oriented toward śaraṇāgati—taking refuge through humility and prostration.

Although the iconography here is strongly Vaiṣṇava (lotus-eyed, conch in hand), the verse centers on Īśvara as the transcendent Lord approached by yoga and surrender—consistent with the Kurma Purana’s synthetic framing where the one Īśvara is praised through multiple sectarian vocabularies.