Shloka 4

The True Liṅga as Formless Brahman — Self-Luminous Īśa and the Yoga of Liberation

Devanagari script

अन्यथा नहि मां द्रष्टुं शक्यं वै मुनिपुङ्गवाः / नहि तद् विद्यते ज्ञानं यतस्तज्ज्ञायते परम्

Transliteration

anyathā nahi māṃ draṣṭuṃ śakyaṃ vai munipuṅgavāḥ / nahi tad vidyate jñānaṃ yatastajjñāyate param

Translation

മറ്റൊരു വഴിയിൽ, ഹേ മുനിശ്രേഷ്ഠന്മാരേ, എന്നെ ദർശിക്കുക സത്യത്തിൽ സാധ്യമല്ല. കാരണം ആ പരമ തത്ത്വത്തെ അറിയിപ്പിക്കുന്ന സാധാരണ ജ്ഞാനം ഒന്നുമില്ല.

Word by Word

• anyathā: otherwise
• anyathā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• nahi: not indeed
• nahi: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na + hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle) with emphasis

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री (उभयलिङ्ग-प्रयोग), द्वितीया एकवचन

• draṣṭum: to see
• draṣṭum: Prayojana/Anukūla-kriyā (प्रयोजन; infinitival complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-रूप (infinitive)

• śakyam: possible
• śakyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakya (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √śak/शक् + यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (potential/fit)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• muni-puṅgavāḥ: O best of sages
• muni-puṅgavāḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थे प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + puṅgava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (मुनिषु पुंगवाः = best among sages)

• nahi: not
• nahi: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na + hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• tat: that (knowledge)
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• vidyate: exists/is found
• vidyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (विद्; 'to exist/ be found' in Ātmanepada)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• jñānam: knowledge
• jñānam: Apposition/Predicate-noun (विशेष्य/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• yataḥ: by which/whereby
• yataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-अव्यय (causal/relative adverb: 'from which/whereby/because')

• tat: that (supreme)
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• jñāyate: is known
• jñāyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• param: supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण (of tat)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• Supreme (Param)
• Sages (Munis)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Supreme cannot be grasped as an object of ordinary cognition; realization of the Param is not produced by mere intellectual knowledge but by a higher mode of direct insight grounded in disciplined spiritual practice.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse implies the Ishvara Gita’s approach: purification and steadiness through yoga—devotion to Ishvara, inner restraint, contemplation, and meditative absorption—because the Supreme is not reached by discursive learning alone.

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

By stressing one Supreme reality beyond conceptual knowing, it supports the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the same Param is approached through Ishvara-bhakti and yogic realization, harmonizing Shaiva and Vaishnava perspectives.