Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

नित्यं हि नास्ति जगति भूतं स्थावरजङ्गमम् / ऋते मामेकमव्यक्तं व्योमरूपं महेश्वरम्

Transliteration

nityaṃ hi nāsti jagati bhūtaṃ sthāvarajaṅgamam / ṛte māmekamavyaktaṃ vyomarūpaṃ maheśvaram

Translation

ഈ ലോകത്തിൽ സ്ഥാവര-ജംഗമമായ ഒന്നും നിത്യമായിട്ടില്ല; എന്നെ ഒഴികെ—അവ്യക്തൻ, വ്യോമസ്വരൂപൻ, മഹേശ്വരൻ—നിത്യൻ ആരുമില്ല.

Word by Word

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverbial accusative), अर्थः—‘always’

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• अस्ति: exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• जगति: in the world
• जगति: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• भूतम्: any being
• भूतम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृपदम् (न अस्ति)

• स्थावरजङ्गमम्: stationary and moving
• स्थावरजङ्गमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थावर + जङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (स्थावरं च जङ्गमं च) विशेषणम् (भूतम्)

• ऋते: except
• ऋते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऋते (अव्यय)
• Form: अपवाद/वर्जन-अव्यय (preposition-like), अर्थः—‘except/without’; योगः—द्वितीया

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘ऋते’ इत्यस्य योगे

• एकम्: one/alone
• एकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (माम्)

• अव्यक्तम्: unmanifest
• अव्यक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (माम्)

• व्योमरूपम्: having the form of space
• व्योमरूपम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्योमन् + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (व्योम्नः रूपम्) विशेषणम् (माम्)

• महेश्वरम्: the Great Lord
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् ईश्वरः) ‘माम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) speaking as the Supreme Īśvara in the Ishvara Gita

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara
• Īśvara

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It distinguishes all created beings—moving and unmoving—as non-eternal, and identifies the Supreme as the one eternal reality: the unmanifest, all-pervading Īśvara, described as “space-like” (vyomarūpa).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports Pāśupata-style contemplation on impermanence (anityatā) and absorption in the unmanifest Lord—meditating on Īśvara as subtle, all-pervading, and beyond form, which steadies detachment and one-pointedness.

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

Though spoken by Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu), the Supreme is named “Maheśvara,” reflecting the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis: one Īśvara is praised through both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava divine titles.