Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 35

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

Devanagari script

सव्याहृतिं सप्रणवां गायत्रीं शिरसा सह / त्रिर्जपेदायतप्राणः प्राणायामः स उच्यते

Transliteration

savyāhṛtiṃ sapraṇavāṃ gāyatrīṃ śirasā saha / trirjapedāyataprāṇaḥ prāṇāyāmaḥ sa ucyate

Translation

ជាមួយវ្យាហ្រឹតិទាំងឡាយ និងប្រṇវៈ «អោម», រួមទាំងមន្ត្រ «សិរៈ» ផង គួរជបមន្ត្រ គាយត្រី ៣ ដង ដោយពន្លាយ និងគ្រប់គ្រងដង្ហើម; នេះហៅថា ប្រាណាយាម។

Word by Word

• स-व्याहृतिम्: (the) vyāhṛti-s along with (them)
• स-व्याहृतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याहृति (प्रातिपदिक) + स (उपसर्ग/अव्ययार्थक-पूर्वपद)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—कर्मधारयः ‘सह व्याहृतिः’

• स-प्रणवाम्: with the praṇava (oṃ)
• स-प्रणवाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक) + स (पूर्वपद)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषणम् गायत्रीम् प्रति; समासः—कर्मधारयः ‘सह प्रणवः’

• गायत्रीम्: the Gāyatrī (mantra)
• गायत्रीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• शिरसा: with the head (i.e., bowed head)
• शिरसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; उपसर्ग/सहकारार्थक-निपातः (particle meaning ‘together/with’)

• त्रिः: thrice
• त्रिः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिः (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; संख्यावाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb of frequency)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्, optative), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); परस्मैपदम्

• आयत-प्राणः: one whose breath is regulated/extended
• आयत-प्राणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषणम् (कर्तरि) ‘प्राणः आयतः यस्य’ इति; समासः—तत्पुरुषः

• प्राणायामः: prāṇāyāma
• प्राणायामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणायाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• सः: that/this (practice)
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); सर्वनाम

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, present), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (as Īśvara) instructing the sages (Ishvara Gita context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Praṇava (Oṁ)
• Vyāhṛtis
• Gāyatrī

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By defining prāṇāyāma as regulated breath joined to praṇava and Gāyatrī-japa, the verse points to inner purification and steadiness of mind—preconditions for recognizing the indwelling Self beyond the fluctuations of prāṇa and thought.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Mantra-linked prāṇāyāma: reciting Oṁ with the vyāhṛtis and Gāyatrī (including the śiras formula) three times while extending and regulating the breath—integrating japa with breath-control as a Pāśupata-style discipline of concentration and purification.

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

Though the verse is practical (prāṇāyāma with Vedic mantras), it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthetic tone: Īśvara’s yoga instruction uses shared Vedic mantra-technology honored across Shaiva and Vaishnava streams, emphasizing one disciplined path to the same supreme realization.