Shloka 12

Īśvara-gītā: Bhakti as the Supreme Means; the Three Śaktis; Non-compelled Lordship

Devanagari script

न मद्भक्ता विनश्यन्ति मद्भक्ता वीतकल्मषाः / आदावेतत् प्रतिज्ञातं न मे भक्तः प्रणश्यति

Transliteration

na madbhaktā vinaśyanti madbhaktā vītakalmaṣāḥ / ādāvetat pratijñātaṃ na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati

Translation

എന്റെ ഭക്തർ നശിക്കുകയില്ല; എന്റെ ഭക്തർ പാപമലത്തിൽ നിന്നു വിമുക്തരാണ്. ആദിമുതൽ ഇതു എന്റെ പ്രതിജ്ഞയായി പ്രഖ്യാപിതം—‘എന്റെ ഭക്തൻ ഒരിക്കലും നശിക്കുകയില്ല.’

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• मद्भक्ताः: my devotees
• मद्भक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्-भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मम भक्ताः)

• विनश्यन्ति: perish
• विनश्यन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• मद्भक्ताः: my devotees
• मद्भक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्-भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मम भक्ताः)

• वीतकल्मषाः: free from sin/impurity
• वीतकल्मषाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीत-कल्मष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (वीतं कल्मषं येषाम्/whose sin is gone)

• आदौ: in the beginning
• आदौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् अव्यय-प्रयोग; सप्तमी-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययार्थ (at the beginning)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; here as subject of प्रतिज्ञातम्

• प्रतिज्ञातम्: has been promised
• प्रतिज्ञातम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (has been promised)

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

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; enclitic form

• भक्तः: devotee
• भक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रणश्यति: perishes
• प्रणश्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu/Narayana) as the Supreme Ishvara

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Narayana
• Bhakta (devotee)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By speaking as the protecting Lord (Ishvara), the verse frames the Supreme as a personal, vow-bound Reality whose grace safeguards the devotee—implying that refuge in the Supreme is spiritually inviolable and leads beyond destruction.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights bhakti-yoga as the core discipline: unwavering devotion and surrender (śaraṇāgati) that purifies sin (kalmaṣa) and establishes the practitioner in divine protection—harmonizing with the Kurma Purana’s broader yoga-shastra emphasis on purity and steadfast worship.

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

Though voiced by Vishnu as Kurma, the teaching aligns with the Purana’s synthetic theology: the single Supreme Lord (Ishvara) protects devotees regardless of sectarian form, supporting a non-competitive Shaiva–Vaishnava unity centered on devotion and dharma.