Shloka 39

Īśvara-gītā (Adhyāya 2) — Ātma-svarūpa, Māyā, and the Unity of Sāṅkhya–Yoga

Devanagari script

तज्ज्ञानं निर्मलं सूक्ष्मं निर्विकल्पं यदव्ययम् / अज्ञानमितरत् सर्वं विज्ञानमिति मे मतम्

Transliteration

tajjñānaṃ nirmalaṃ sūkṣmaṃ nirvikalpaṃ yadavyayam / ajñānamitarat sarvaṃ vijñānamiti me matam

Translation

जे ज्ञान निर्मळ, सूक्ष्म, निर्विकल्प व अव्यय आहे तेच खरे ज्ञान. त्याव्यतिरिक्त जे काही आहे ते सर्व अज्ञान—विज्ञानाविषयी माझे हेच मत आहे।

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshya (विशेष्य/Reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• निर्मलम्: pure; stainless
• निर्मलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

• सूक्ष्मम्: subtle
• सूक्ष्मम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• निर्विकल्पम्: free from conceptualization
• निर्विकल्पम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अव्ययम्: imperishable; undecaying
• अव्ययम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अज्ञानम्: ignorance
• अज्ञानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इतरत्: other; the rest
• इतरत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• विज्ञानम्: (called) knowledge; discernment
• विज्ञानम्: Samjna (संज्ञा/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (इति-पूर्वं नामनिर्देश)

• इति: thus; as
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्ति-निपात (quotative particle)

• मे: my
• मे: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• मतम्: opinion; view
• मतम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• Ishvara Gita
• Pashupata Yoga

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It defines true knowledge as realization of the imperishable, subtle, and nirvikalpa reality—pointing to the Atman/Brahman that is untainted by mental constructs and therefore not subject to decay.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse indicates a contemplative path aimed at nirvikalpa insight—purifying the mind (nirmalatā), refining perception toward the subtle (sūkṣma), and resting beyond conceptualization (nirvikalpa), aligning with the Ishvara Gita’s jñāna-oriented discipline within a Pashupata-informed framework.

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

By teaching nirvikalpa, imperishable knowledge as the highest truth, it supports the Purana’s synthetic stance: the supreme reality realized through yoga is one, even when approached through Shaiva (Pashupata) idiom or spoken by Vishnu as Lord Kurma.