Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 68

Sūrya-vaṃśa Genealogy and the Supremacy of Tapas: Gāyatrī-Japa, Rudra-Darśana, and Śatarudrīya Upadeśa

Devanagari script

अध्यायं शतरुद्रीयं यजुषां सारमुद्धृतम् / जपस्वानन्यचेतस्को मय्यासक्तमना नृप

Transliteration

adhyāyaṃ śatarudrīyaṃ yajuṣāṃ sāramuddhṛtam / japasvānanyacetasko mayyāsaktamanā nṛpa

Translation

ഹേ നൃപാ, യജുര്‍വേദത്തിന്റെ സാരമായി ഉദ്ധരിക്കപ്പെട്ട ശതരുദ്രീയ അധ്യായം ജപിക്കൂ—ചിത്തം മറ്റിടത്തേക്ക് തിരിക്കാതെ, മനസ്സിനെ എന്നിൽ ആസക്തമാക്കി ഏകാഗ്രനായി।

Word by Word

• अध्यायम्: chapter/lesson
• अध्यायम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• शतरुद्रीयम्: the Śatarudrīya (hymn/chapter)
• शतरुद्रीयम्: Karma (कर्म; apposition to अध्यायम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + रुद्रीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘(the chapter) of the hundred Rudras’ i.e., Śatarudrīya

• यजुषाम्: of the Yajus (Yajurveda mantras)
• यजुषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• सारम्: essence
• सारम्: Karma (कर्म; in apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• उद्धृतम्: extracted
• उद्धृतम्: Karma (कर्म; qualifier of अध्यायम्/सारम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् + √हृ (धातु) → उद्धृत (कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कृदन्तः—क्त (PPP) ‘extracted/brought forth’

• जपस्व: recite (as japa)
• जपस्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जप् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अनन्यचेतस्कः: with undistracted mind
• अनन्यचेतस्कः: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier of addressee)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्य + चेतस् + क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘whose mind is not (on) another’ = one-pointed

• मयि: in me
• मयि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• आसक्तमनाः: with mind attached (to me)
• आसक्तमनाः: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier of addressee)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आसक्त + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘whose mind is attached’; आसक्त = क्त (PPP) from आ + √सञ्ज्/√सज् (धातु)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu), teaching the king (Indradyumna) in a Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava synthesis

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Śatarudrīya
• Rudra
• Yajurveda
• Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu)
• King (nṛpa/Indradyumna)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as a personal, realizable reality—“Me”—to be approached through one-pointed absorption (ananya-cetas) where the mind rests in the Divine, aligning devotion and inner concentration as a direct means to spiritual realization.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Mantra-japa of the Śatarudrīya is prescribed as a disciplined practice requiring ekāgratā (single-pointed attention) and mental attachment/absorption (āsakti) in the Lord—an applied form of Pāśupata-oriented sādhanā combining mantra, devotion, and meditative focus.

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

By recommending the Śatarudrīya (a Rudra-centric hymn) while directing the practitioner’s mind to “Me” (spoken by Lord Kūrma/Viṣṇu), it models the Purāṇic non-sectarian synthesis where Rudra-mantra devotion culminates in the one Supreme Lord.