Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

अहिंसा सत्यमस्तेयं ब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहौ / यमाः संक्षेपतः प्रोक्ताश्चित्तशुद्धिप्रदा नृणाम्

Transliteration

ahiṃsā satyamasteyaṃ brahmacaryāparigrahau / yamāḥ saṃkṣepataḥ proktāścittaśuddhipradā nṛṇām

Translation

アヒンサー（不殺生・不害）、サティヤ（真実）、アステーヤ（不盗）、ブラフマチャリヤ（清浄なる梵行）、アパリグラハ（不貪・不執着）—これらが略してヤマと説かれ、人々に心の浄化を授ける。

Word by Word

• अहिंसा: non-violence
• अहिंसा: उद्देश्य (enumerated item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहिंसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सत्यम्: truthfulness
• सत्यम्: उद्देश्य (enumerated item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अस्तेयम्: non-stealing
• अस्तेयम्: उद्देश्य (enumerated item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मचर्य-अपरिग्रहौ: celibacy and non-possessiveness
• ब्रह्मचर्य-अपरिग्रहौ: उद्देश्य (enumerated items)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अपरिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: द्वन्द्व (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: ब्रह्मचर्यं च अपरिग्रहश्च); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• यमाः: the yamas (restraints)
• यमाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• संक्षेपतः: briefly
• संक्षेपतः: विशेषण (adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: संक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक) + तः (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): “in brief/briefly”

• प्रोक्ताः: have been declared
• प्रोक्ताः: विधेय (predicate; passive sense)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र (उपसर्ग) + √वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle), क्त; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘यमाः’ इत्यस्य विधेय (predicate)

• चित्त-शुद्धि-प्रदाः: granting purity of mind
• चित्त-शुद्धि-प्रदाः: कर्ता-विशेषण (adjectival to yamas)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (कृदन्त; √दा (धातु) + क)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (चित्तस्य शुद्धिः; तां प्रददाति इति प्रदः → प्रदाः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘यमाः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Vishnu
• Yama
• Pashupata Yoga
• Ishvara Gita

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By emphasizing citta-śuddhi through yamas, the verse implies that inner purity is the prerequisite for clear knowledge of the Self; ethical restraint removes mental agitation and obscuration that veil Atman-realization.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights the yamas—ahiṃsā, satya, asteya, brahmacarya, and aparigraha—as foundational limbs of Yoga in the Kurma Purana’s Ishvara Gita stream, serving as the practical discipline that purifies the mind for higher meditation and devotion.

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

The verse presents universally shared Yogic ethics (yamas) that function across Shaiva and Vaishnava paths, aligning with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis where devotion to Ishvara and Yogic discipline are mutually supportive rather than sectarian.