Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

रेचकः पूरकश्चैव प्राणायामो ऽथ कुम्भकः / प्रोच्यते सर्वशास्त्रेषु योगिभिर्यतमानसैः

Transliteration

recakaḥ pūrakaścaiva prāṇāyāmo 'tha kumbhakaḥ / procyate sarvaśāstreṣu yogibhiryatamānasaiḥ

Translation

Hembusan keluar (recaka), tarikan masuk (pūraka), lalu penahanan nafas (kumbhaka)—inilah yang disebut prāṇāyāma dalam semua śāstra, sebagaimana diajarkan para yogin yang berdisiplin dan tekun berlatih.

Word by Word

• रेचकः: exhalation (recaka)
• रेचकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• पूरकः: inhalation (pūraka)
• पूरकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; अवधारणार्थक-निपातः (emphatic particle)

• प्राणायामः: prāṇāyāma
• प्राणायामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणायाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• अथ: then/and also
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; अनन्तरार्थक/प्रस्तावार्थक (sequencing particle ‘then/now’)

• कुम्भकः: retention (kumbhaka)
• कुम्भकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• प्रोच्यते: is declared/taught
• प्रोच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, present), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive)

• सर्व-शास्त्रेषु: in all treatises
• सर्व-शास्त्रेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः—कर्मधारयः ‘सर्वाणि शास्त्राणि’

• योगिभिः: by yogins
• योगिभिः: Kartr-karana (कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• यत-मानसैः: with disciplined minds
• यत-मानसैः: Kartr-karana (कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); विशेषणम् योगिभिः प्रति; समासः—तत्पुरुषः ‘यतं (नियतम्) मनः येषाम्’

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing within the Ishvara Gita discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Pranayama
• Recaka
• Puraka
• Kumbhaka
• Yogins

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by defining prāṇāyāma as a disciplined method taught by mastered yogins, the verse points to mind-restraint as a prerequisite for inward realization—where the Self is known when the fluctuations supported by breath and mind are steadied.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights prāṇāyāma as a threefold practice—recaka (exhalation), pūraka (inhalation), and kumbhaka (retention)—presented as the standard yogic definition across śāstras and integral to the Kurma Purana’s Pashupata-oriented yogic discipline.

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

Though not naming them explicitly, the teaching comes from Lord Kurma while using yoga-shastra categories central to Shaiva (including Pashupata) traditions—reflecting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where Vishnu instructs practices honored across Shaiva-Vaishnava lineages.