Shloka 2

Īśvara-gītā (Adhyāya 2) — Ātma-svarūpa, Māyā, and the Unity of Sāṅkhya–Yoga

Devanagari script

इदं ज्ञानं समाश्रित्य ब्रह्मभूता द्विजोत्तमाः / न संसारं प्रपद्यन्ते पूर्वे ऽपि ब्रह्मवादिनः

Transliteration

idaṃ jñānaṃ samāśritya brahmabhūtā dvijottamāḥ / na saṃsāraṃ prapadyante pūrve 'pi brahmavādinaḥ

Translation

ໂດຍອາໄສຄວາມຮູ້ນີ້ ດວິໂຈຕະມະທັງຫຼາຍກໍຕັ້ງຢູ່ໃນພຣະພຣະຫມັນ; ແລະ ບັນດາລະສີໃນອະດີດ ຜູ້ສອນພຣະພຣະຫມັນ ກໍບໍ່ຕົກກັບໄປສູ່ວົງຈອນສັງສານອີກ.

Word by Word

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• jñānam: knowledge
• jñānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; object of samāśritya

• samāśritya: having resorted to
• samāśritya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√śri (श्रि धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), indeclinable verbal form

• brahmabhūtāḥ: having become Brahman
• brahmabhūtāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahman + bhūta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; क्त-participle used adjectivally; तत्पुरुष: brahma-bhūta = 'become Brahman'

• dvijottamāḥ: best of the twice-born
• dvijottamāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; तत्पुरुष: dvijānām uttamāḥ

• na: not
• na: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle

• saṃsāram: saṃsāra (cycle of rebirth)
• saṃsāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃsāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• prapadyante: enter/attain/fall into
• prapadyante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√pad (पद् धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person, Plural; Ātmanepada

• pūrve: the former/earlier ones
• pūrve: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; used substantively

• api: also/even
• api: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle 'also/even'

• brahmavādinaḥ: teachers/proclaimers of Brahman
• brahmavādinaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman + vādin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; तत्पुरुष: brahma-vādin = 'one who speaks/teaches Brahman'

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the sages (Kurma Purana teaching-context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Dvija
• Brahmavādin

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents liberating knowledge as producing brahma-bhāva—abidance in Brahman—implying the realized Self is not bound by rebirth once Brahman is known directly.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds jñāna (realization) as decisive; in the Kurma Purana’s broader framework, such knowledge is typically stabilized through disciplined yoga (including Pāśupata-oriented restraint, meditation, and devotion) that supports steady Brahman-abidance.

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

While not naming them, it reflects the Purana’s non-sectarian thrust: the same Brahman-realizing knowledge—taught in Shaiva and Vaishnava idioms—leads beyond saṃsāra, harmonizing devotion and wisdom across traditions.