Shloka 48

Commencement of the Upari-bhāga: The Sages Request Brahma-vidyā; Vyāsa Recalls the Badarikā Inquiry and Śiva–Viṣṇu Theophany

Devanagari script

तं ते देवादिदेवेशं शङ्करं ब्रह्मवादिनः / विभ्राजमानं विमले तस्मिन् ददृशुरासने

Transliteration

taṃ te devādideveśaṃ śaṅkaraṃ brahmavādinaḥ / vibhrājamānaṃ vimale tasmin dadṛśurāsane

Translation

Kemudian para pengajar Brahman melihat Śaṅkara—Tuhan para dewa, Dewa di atas segala dewa—bersinar cemerlang, bersemayam di atas singgahsana yang suci itu.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (him)

• ते: they
• ते: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (they)

• देव-आदि-देव-ईशम्: lord of the gods (and others)
• देव-आदि-देव-ईशम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; apposition to तम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (देवादीनां देवानाम् ईशः = lord of the gods beginning with the gods)

• शङ्करम्: Śaṅkara
• शङ्करम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मवादिनः: the Brahman-teachers
• ब्रह्मवादिनः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; in apposition to ते)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मवादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; agent noun (those who speak/teach Brahman)

• विभ्राजमानम्: shining brilliantly
• विभ्राजमानम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + √भ्राज् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्यय (Present middle participle/शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (shining forth)

• विमले: pure
• विमले: अधिकरणविशेषण (Locative-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying āsane)

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (in that)

• आसने: on the seat
• आसने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• ददृशुः: they saw
• ददृशुः: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta (narrator), describing the sages’ vision within the Ishvara Gita setting

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shankara (Shiva)
• Brahmavadins (sages/knowers of Brahman)
• Devas

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling Śaṅkara “devādideveśa” and placing him before “brahmavādinaḥ,” the verse frames the Supreme as the luminous, pure Reality (Brahman) that can be directly beheld by realized sages—suggesting the Atman/Brahman is encountered as stainless radiance rather than as a merely conceptual doctrine.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes a yogic culmination: darśana (direct vision) of the Lord in a state of inner purity (vimala). In the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-oriented mood, such vision is associated with purification, steadiness of mind, and contemplation that reveals the deity as radiant consciousness.

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

Within the Ishvara Gita’s synthetic theology, Śiva is presented in supreme terms (“God of gods”), aligning with the Purana’s non-sectarian stance where the highest Lord is one Reality—spoken of as Śiva or Viṣṇu—recognized by Brahman-knowers through purity and direct realization.