Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12

Cosmic Manifestation, Mahāmāyā’s Mandate, Varṇāśrama-Dharma, and the Unity of the Trimūrti

Devanagari script

ज्ञानयोगरतान् दान्तान् ब्रह्मिष्ठान् ब्रह्मवादिनः / अक्रोधनान् सत्यपरान् दूरतः परिवर्जय

Transliteration

jñānayogaratān dāntān brahmiṣṭhān brahmavādinaḥ / akrodhanān satyaparān dūrataḥ parivarjaya

Translation

Jauhilah dari mereka yang tekun dalam Yoga pengetahuan (jñāna-yoga), yang mengekang diri, teguh bersemayam dalam Brahman dan mengajarkan Brahman—mereka yang bebas dari amarah dan berpegang pada kebenaran.

Word by Word

• ज्ञानयोगरतान्: those devoted to jñāna-yoga
• ज्ञानयोगरतान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान + योग + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ज्ञानयोगे रताः)

• दान्तान्: self-controlled
• दान्तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• ब्रह्मिष्ठान्: steadfast in Brahman
• ब्रह्मिष्ठान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म + इष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणि इष्ठाः/निष्ठाः)

• ब्रह्मवादिनः: speakers/expounders of Brahman
• ब्रह्मवादिनः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्म वदन्ति)

• अक्रोधनान्: free from anger
• अक्रोधनान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + क्रोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वक विशेषण

• सत्यपरान्: devoted to truth
• सत्यपरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सत्ये पराः/निष्ठाः)

• दूरतः: from afar
• दूरतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘from afar/at a distance’

• परिवर्जय: avoid/shun
• परिवर्जय: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing King Indradyumna

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Jnana Yoga

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By praising those “established in Brahman” and “speakers of Brahman,” the verse points to realization of Brahman/Atman as the highest spiritual state marked by truthfulness and freedom from anger.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It explicitly highlights jñāna-yoga—liberating insight grounded in self-restraint (dama) and ethical disciplines like satya (truth) and akrodha (non-anger), which are treated as prerequisites for higher yogic stability.

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

Indirectly, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthetic yoga-ethics: whether framed through Shaiva (Pāśupata) or Vaishnava devotion, the realized teacher is defined by Brahman-knowledge and inner virtues rather than sectarian identity.