Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

यः शब्दबोधजननः परेषां शृण्वतां स्फुटम् / स्वाध्यायो वाचिकः प्रोक्त उपांशोरथ लक्षणम्

Transliteration

yaḥ śabdabodhajananaḥ pareṣāṃ śṛṇvatāṃ sphuṭam / svādhyāyo vācikaḥ prokta upāṃśoratha lakṣaṇam

Translation

മറ്റുള്ളവർ കേൾക്കുമ്പോൾ വ്യക്തമായ ശബ്ദംകൊണ്ട് ബോധം ജനിപ്പിക്കുന്ന സ്വാധ്യായം ‘വാചികം’ എന്നു പ്രസ്താവിക്കുന്നു; അതിന് വിരുദ്ധമായ ‘ഉപാംശു’വിന്റെ ലക്ഷണം പിന്നെ നിർദ്ദേശിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• यः: which/that (he/it)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; relative pronoun referring to 'स्वाध्यायः'

• शब्दबोधजननः: producing understanding of words
• शब्दबोधजननः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शब्दबोध (प्रातिपदिक) + जनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'शब्दबोधस्य जननः' qualifying 'स्वाध्यायः'

• परेषाम्: of others
• परेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), बहुवचन

• शृण्वताम्: of (those) listening
• शृण्वताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → शृण्वत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), बहुवचन; 'of those who are listening'

• स्फुटम्: clearly
• स्फुटम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्फुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)

• स्वाध्यायः: self-study/recitation
• स्वाध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• वाचिकः: verbal (aloud)
• वाचिकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाचिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; agrees with 'स्वाध्यायः'

• प्रोक्तः: is said/declared
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; predicate with 'स्वाध्यायः'

• उपांशोः: of (the) whispered (type)
• उपांशोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपांशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), एकवचन

• अथ: now/then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle (अनन्तर/प्रस्ताव) = 'now/then'

• लक्षणम्: definition/characteristic
• लक्षणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; predicate-noun: 'the definition/characteristic' (of upāṃśu)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing King Indradyumna (Ishvara Gita teaching context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kurma (Vishnu)
• Svadhyaya
• Upamsu Japa

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames spiritual practice as sound-based discipline (svādhyāya/japa) that refines understanding (bodha); such purification supports realization of the inner Self taught in the Ishvara Gita.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It classifies svādhyāya/japa by intensity of utterance: vācika (audible recitation that others can hear and comprehend) and points toward upāṁśu (whispered recitation) as a subtler, more inward yogic mode.

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

By emphasizing disciplined mantra-recitation within the Ishvara Gita framework, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis: the same yogic sādhanā (often styled Pāśupata in tone) is taught by Vishnu as a universal path to Ishvara-realization.