Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

न पाणिपादौ नो पायुर्न चोपस्थं द्विजोत्तमाः / न कर्ता न च भोक्ता वा न च प्रकृतिपूरुषौ / न माया नैव च प्राश्चैतन्यं परमार्थतः

Transliteration

na pāṇipādau no pāyurna copasthaṃ dvijottamāḥ / na kartā na ca bhoktā vā na ca prakṛtipūruṣau / na māyā naiva ca prāścaitanyaṃ paramārthataḥ

Translation

ഹേ ദ്വിജോത്തമരേ! പരമാർത്ഥത്തിൽ അവനു കൈകാലുകളില്ല; പായുവുമില്ല; ഉപസ്ഥവും ഇല്ല. അവൻ കർത്താവല്ല, ഭോക്താവല്ല; പ്രകൃതി-പുരുഷ ദ്വൈതവും അല്ല. അവൻ മായയല്ല; ആദി (പ്രാക്) ചൈതന്യവും അല്ല—ഇതുതന്നെ പരമസത്യം.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• pāṇi-pādau: hands and feet
• pāṇi-pādau: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṇi (प्रातिपदिक) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• pāyuḥ: anus
• pāyuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• upastham: genital organ
• upastham: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upastha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• dvija-uttamāḥ: O best of the twice-born
• dvija-uttamāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (dvijānām uttamāḥ) संबोधनार्थे (vocative sense by context)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• kartā: doer
• kartā: Karta (कर्ता/agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + tṛ (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक-तृन्-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• bhoktā: enjoyer
• bhoktā: Karta (कर्ता/experiencer)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuj (धातु) + tṛ (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक-तृन्-प्रत्ययान्त (enjoyer/experiencer), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• prakṛti-puruṣau: Prakṛti and Puruṣa
• prakṛti-puruṣau: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक) + puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• māyā: māyā/illusion
• māyā: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• prāḥ: (unclear reading)
• prāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/unclear)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: पाठभेद/दुष्पाठ-सूचक; IAST 'prāś' appears corrupt/unclear; likely intended 'prāṇaḥ' or 'prāg' etc. Treated as indeclinable fragment here.

• caitanyam: consciousness
• caitanyam: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caitanya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• paramārthataḥ: ultimately/in reality
• paramārthataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paramārthatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb): 'in the highest truth/ultimately'

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching the sages (Ishvara Gita discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Ishvara Gita
• Prakriti
• Purusha
• Maya

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It defines the Supreme as free from bodily parts and functions, and beyond agency and enjoyership; ultimately it transcends even the conceptual pair of Prakṛti–Puruṣa and the category of Māyā, pointing to an absolute, non-dual Reality.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports negation-based contemplation (neti-neti) used in meditative absorption: the practitioner withdraws identification from body, senses, and egoic agency, stabilizing awareness in the paramārtha (ultimate) standpoint central to Ishvara Gita-oriented discipline.

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

By teaching a single transcendent Reality beyond all dualities and attributes, the verse aligns with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: Shiva and Vishnu are approached as unified in the highest truth, with sectarian forms serving as gateways to the same non-dual Supreme.