Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 24

Īśvara-Gītā (continued): Twofold Yoga, Aṣṭāṅga Discipline, Pāśupata Meditation, and the Unity of Nārāyaṇa–Maheśvara

Devanagari script

यः शब्दबोधजननः परेषां शृण्वतां स्फुटम् / स्वाध्यायो वाचिकः प्रोक्त उपांशोरथ लक्षणम्

Transliteration

yaḥ śabdabodhajananaḥ pareṣāṃ śṛṇvatāṃ sphuṭam / svādhyāyo vācikaḥ prokta upāṃśoratha lakṣaṇam

Translation

Svādhyāya yang melalui bunyi melahirkan pemahaman yang jelas bagi orang lain yang mendengar disebut vācika (bacaan bersuara). Sesudah itu, ciri upāṁśu (bacaan berbisik) dihuraikan dengan membandingkannya.

Word by Word

• यः: which/that (he/it)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; relative pronoun referring to 'स्वाध्यायः'

• शब्दबोधजननः: producing understanding of words
• शब्दबोधजननः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शब्दबोध (प्रातिपदिक) + जनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'शब्दबोधस्य जननः' qualifying 'स्वाध्यायः'

• परेषाम्: of others
• परेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), बहुवचन

• शृण्वताम्: of (those) listening
• शृण्वताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → शृण्वत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), बहुवचन; 'of those who are listening'

• स्फुटम्: clearly
• स्फुटम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्फुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)

• स्वाध्यायः: self-study/recitation
• स्वाध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• वाचिकः: verbal (aloud)
• वाचिकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाचिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; agrees with 'स्वाध्यायः'

• प्रोक्तः: is said/declared
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; predicate with 'स्वाध्यायः'

• उपांशोः: of (the) whispered (type)
• उपांशोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपांशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), एकवचन

• अथ: now/then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle (अनन्तर/प्रस्ताव) = 'now/then'

• लक्षणम्: definition/characteristic
• लक्षणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; predicate-noun: 'the definition/characteristic' (of upāṃśu)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing King Indradyumna (Ishvara Gita teaching context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kurma (Vishnu)
• Svadhyaya
• Upamsu Japa

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames spiritual practice as sound-based discipline (svādhyāya/japa) that refines understanding (bodha); such purification supports realization of the inner Self taught in the Ishvara Gita.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It classifies svādhyāya/japa by intensity of utterance: vācika (audible recitation that others can hear and comprehend) and points toward upāṁśu (whispered recitation) as a subtler, more inward yogic mode.

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

By emphasizing disciplined mantra-recitation within the Ishvara Gita framework, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis: the same yogic sādhanā (often styled Pāśupata in tone) is taught by Vishnu as a universal path to Ishvara-realization.