Shloka 3

Īśvara-gītā: Vibhūtis of the Supreme Lord and the Paśu–Paśupati Doctrine of Bondage and Release

Devanagari script

अहं ब्रह्मविदां ब्रह्मा स्वयंभूर्विश्वतोमुखः / मायाविनामहं देवः पुराणो हरिरव्ययः

Transliteration

ahaṃ brahmavidāṃ brahmā svayaṃbhūrviśvatomukhaḥ / māyāvināmahaṃ devaḥ purāṇo hariravyayaḥ

Translation

ബ്രഹ്മവിദന്മാർക്കു ഞാൻ ബ്രഹ്മാ—സ്വയംഭൂ, വിശ്വതോമുഖൻ. മായാധിപതിയായ ഞാൻ ദേവൻ; പുരാതന ഹരി, അവ്യയൻ।

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; pronoun

• ब्रह्मविदाम्: of the knowers of Brahman
• ब्रह्मविदाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma-vid (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; तत्पुरुष: brahma + vid 'knower of Brahman'

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• स्वयम्भूः: Self-born
• स्वयम्भूः: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svayaṃbhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• विश्वतोमुखः: all-faced, facing everywhere
• विश्वतोमुखः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśvatas + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; बहुव्रीहि: 'whose faces are on all sides'

• मायाविना: as the possessor of māyā
• मायाविना: Hetu/Instrument (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māyāvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; used predicatively with implied 'as/being'

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; pronoun (repeated for emphasis)

• देवः: god
• देवः: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• पुराणः: ancient
• पुराणः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• अव्ययः: imperishable
• अव्ययः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu as Īśvara, teaching the Īśvara-gītā)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Hari (Vishnu)
• Maya
• Brahmavid (knowers of Brahman)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as self-existent, all-pervading, and imperishable—identifying the Lord as the very ground known by brahma-vids, beyond decay and limitation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes contemplative recognition (jñāna-yoga) of Īśvara as omnipresent and as the master of Māyā—supporting meditation on the Lord as viśvatomukha (all-faced) and avyaya (unchanging), a key orientation for later Pāśupata-style discipline and devotion.

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

By declaring the one Īśvara as the source of cosmic functions (including the Brahmā-aspect) and as Hari, the verse supports the Purāṇa’s non-sectarian stance: one Supreme reality manifests multiple divine roles, harmonizing Shaiva and Vaishnava theology.