Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 26

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

Devanagari script

यत्पदाक्षरसङ्गत्या परिस्पन्दनवर्जितम् / चिन्तनं सर्वशब्दानां मानसं तं जपं विदुः

Transliteration

yatpadākṣarasaṅgatyā parispandanavarjitam / cintanaṃ sarvaśabdānāṃ mānasaṃ taṃ japaṃ viduḥ

Translation

ការចម្រើនគិត (ចិន្តន) ដែលដោយការភ្ជាប់ខាងក្នុងជាមួយអក្សរនៃពាក្យមន្ត ឥតមានការញ័រខាងក្រៅ ឬចលនា ហើយពិចារណាអត្ថន័យនៃពាក្យមន្តទាំងអស់ក្នុងចិត្ត—អ្នកប្រាជ្ញទទួលស្គាល់ថា នោះជាជបដោយចិត្ត (មានស)។

Word by Word

• yat: which (that)
• yat: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun (सर्वनाम)

• pada-akṣara-saṅgatyā: by the connection/sequence of word-syllables
• pada-akṣara-saṅgatyā: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅgati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘pada-akṣara’ (word-syllable) + ‘saṅgati’ (connection/sequence)

• parispandana-varjitam: devoid of (physical) movement
• parispandana-varjitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-√spand (स्पन्द् धातु) (प्रातिपदिक: parispandana) + varjita (√vṛj/√varj क्त)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘parispandana’ (movement) + ‘varjita’ (devoid of)

• cintanam: contemplation
• cintanam: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cintana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• sarva-śabdānām: of all words (mantras)
• sarva-śabdānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); कर्मधारयः—‘all’ qualifying ‘words/sounds’

• mānasam: mental
• mānasam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun (सर्वनाम)

• japam: japa
• japam: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: japa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• viduḥ: they know/declare
• viduḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (विद् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching Indradyumna within the Ishvara Gita framework (Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• Ishvara Gita
• Japa
• Pashupata Yoga

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By defining japa as inward, motionless contemplation grounded in mantra-syllables and their meaning, the verse points to a consciousness-centered practice where realization is internal—suggesting the Self is approached not by outward speech but by steady, silent awareness.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights mānasa-japa: silent mantra repetition combined with contemplative attention to the mantra’s words and meanings, practiced without physical articulation—aligned with the Kurma Purana’s Pashupata-oriented discipline of inward absorption (antar-dhyāna).

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

By placing mantra-based inner yoga (a hallmark of Shaiva-Pashupata sadhana) within Lord Kurma’s teaching voice, the text models the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the same inner japa leads to Ishvara, understood across Shiva–Vishnu unity.