Shloka 18

Īśvara-gītā: Brahman as All-Pervading—Kāla, Prakṛti–Puruṣa, Tattva-Evolution, and Mokṣa

Devanagari script

सर्वेन्द्रियेभ्यः परमं मन आहुर्मनीषिणः / मनसश्चाप्यहङ्कारमहङ्कारान्महान् परः

Transliteration

sarvendriyebhyaḥ paramaṃ mana āhurmanīṣiṇaḥ / manasaścāpyahaṅkāramahaṅkārānmahān paraḥ

Translation

മനീഷികൾ പറയുന്നു: എല്ലാ ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങളിലുമേൽ മനസ്സാണ് പരം. മനസ്സിനുമപ്പുറം അഹങ്കാരം; അഹങ്കാരത്തിനപ്പുറം മഹാൻ (മഹത്തത്ത്വം) ഉണ്ട്.

Word by Word

• सर्वेन्द्रियेभ्यः: from all the senses
• सर्वेन्द्रियेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सर्वाणि इन्द्रियाणि)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (मनः)

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृपदम्

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मनीषिणः: the sages/wise ones
• मनीषिणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनीषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तृ (आहुः)

• मनसः: from the mind
• मनसः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अर्थः—‘also/even’

• अहङ्कारम्: ego-sense (ahaṅkāra)
• अहङ्कारम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (अध्याहृतः) ‘परम्’ इति विशेष्यः

• अहङ्कारात्: from ego-sense
• अहङ्कारात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• महान्: the Great Principle (mahat)
• महान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘महान्’ = ‘महत्तत्त्वम्’

• परः: higher
• परः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (महान्)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing King Indradyumna (Kurma Purana dialogue style)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Mind (Manas)
• Ahamkara
• Mahat (Mahan)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By ranking mind, ego (ahaṅkāra), and mahat as progressively subtler principles, the verse implies that the Self is to be sought beyond these inner instruments—since even mahat is still a principle of prakṛti, not the ultimate Atman.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It supports tattva-viveka used in Yoga: withdraw attention from the senses, observe the mind, discern the ego-sense behind mental movements, and penetrate to the subtler ground (mahat). Such discrimination stabilizes meditation and loosens identification with the 'I-maker.'

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

Indirectly: the teaching uses shared Sankhya–Yoga categories accepted across Shaiva and Vaishnava streams, reflecting the Kurma Purana’s integrative approach where the same inner discernment leads toward the one Supreme Lord revered as Shiva or Vishnu.