Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 144

Devadāru (Dāruvana) Forest: The Delusion of Ritual Pride, the Liṅga Crisis, and the Teaching of Jñāna–Pāśupata Yoga

Devanagari script

वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः / बहवो ऽनेन योगेन पूता मद्भावमागताः

Transliteration

vītarāgabhayakrodhā manmayā māmupāśritāḥ / bahavo 'nena yogena pūtā madbhāvamāgatāḥ

Translation

ആസക്തി, ഭയം, ക്രോധം എന്നിവ വിട്ട്—എന്നിൽ തന്മയരായി എന്നെ ശരണം പ്രാപിച്ച്—അനേകർ ഈ യോഗംകൊണ്ട് ശുദ്ധരായി എന്റെ ഭാവം, അഥവാ എന്റെ സ്വരൂപസ്ഥിതി, പ്രാപിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• वीतरागभयक्रोधाः: free from attachment, fear, and anger
• वीतरागभयक्रोधाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीत + राग + भय + क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक-चतुष्टय)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (वीतः रागः/भयम्/क्रोधः येषाम्—अर्थे विशेषण), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; qualifier of (बहवः)

• मन्मयाः: absorbed in me
• मन्मयाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत् + मय (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (मन्मय = मयि मयाः/मद्रूपाः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया एकवचन

• उपाश्रिताः: having taken refuge in
• उपाश्रिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-श्रित (कृदन्त; √श्रि धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; predicate participle

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन

• अनेन: by this
• अनेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन; Instrumental

• योगेन: by (this) yoga
• योगेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन; Instrumental

• पूताः: purified
• पूताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूत (कृदन्त; √पू धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; predicate participle

• मद्भावम्: my state/nature
• मद्भावम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् + भाव (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मम भावः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• आगताः: have attained/come to
• आगताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आगत (कृदन्त; √गम् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; predicate participle

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching the Ishvara Gita doctrine

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• Ishvara (Supreme Lord)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It frames liberation as “mad-bhāva”—attaining the Lord’s own nature—through inner purification and absorption in the Supreme, indicating a transformative participation in divine being rather than mere external merit.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes a Yoga of refuge (upāśraya), single-pointed God-absorption (manmayatā), and purification through removal of rāga (attachment), bhaya (fear), and krodha (anger)—a bhakti-infused discipline aligned with Kurma Purana’s Pashupata-oriented soteriology.

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

By presenting “Ishvara-Yoga” as the means to attain the Lord’s state, the Kurma Purana supports a non-sectarian synthesis: the Supreme (Ishvara) is approached through Yoga and devotion beyond rivalry, harmonizing Shaiva-Pashupata discipline with Vaishnava refuge in Vishnu (Kurma).