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Shloka 19

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

तेनायं संगतो ह्यात्मा कूटस्थो ऽपि निरञ्जनः / स्वात्मानमक्षरं ब्रह्म नावबुद्ध्येत तत्त्वतः

tenāyaṃ saṃgato hyātmā kūṭastho 'pi nirañjanaḥ / svātmānamakṣaraṃ brahma nāvabuddhyeta tattvataḥ

Pela ignorância e sua superimposição, este Si mesmo parece como se estivesse associado ao corpo e à mente; contudo, é a testemunha imutável, pura e sem mancha. Assim, não se reconhece em essência o próprio Si mesmo como o Brahman imperecível.

tenaby that
tena:
Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃ/Napुंसक (masc/neut), Tṛtīyā-vibhakti (instrumental/तृतीया), Ekavacana (singular/एकवचन); sarvanāma (pronoun/सर्वनाम)
ayamthis
ayam:
Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootidam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga (masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā-vibhakti (nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (singular/एकवचन); sarvanāma
saṃgataḥassociated/connected
saṃgataḥ:
Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicative to subject/कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
TypeVerb
Rootsam-√gam (धातु)
FormKta-pratyaya (past passive participle/क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with 'ātmā'
hiindeed
hi:
Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Roothi (अव्यय)
FormNipāta (particle/निपात), emphasis/indeed
ātmāthe self
ātmā:
Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga (masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā-vibhakti (nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (singular/एकवचन)
kūṭasthaḥimmutable, unchanging
kūṭasthaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootkūṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'kūṭe sthitaḥ' (standing in the immutable/peak); viśeṣaṇa of 'ātmā'
apieven/also
api:
Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
FormNipāta (particle/निपात), concessive 'even/also'
nirañjanaḥstainless, untainted
nirañjanaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootnir-añjana (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of 'ātmā'
sva-ātmānamone's own self
sva-ātmānam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootsva (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Dvitīyā-vibhakti (accusative/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: 'svaḥ ātmā' = one's own self; object of 'avabuddhyeta'
akṣaramimperishable
akṣaram:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roota-kṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of 'brahma' (or apposition to 'svātmānam')
brahmaBrahman
brahma:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootbrahman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; in apposition: 'svātmānam ... brahma'
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormPratiṣedha-nipāta (negation particle/निषेध)
avabuddhyetawould understand/realize
avabuddhyeta:
Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootava-√budh (धातु)
FormVidhi-liṅ (optative/विधिलिङ्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; potential/passive-like sense: 'would understand/realize'
tattvataḥtruly, in essence
tattvataḥ:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottattva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormTasil-avyaya (तसिल्/ablatival adverb), 'in reality/from the truth'

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching the Ishvara Gita to the sages (contextually including King Indradyumna’s inquiry in the wider frame)

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

A
Atman
B
Brahman

FAQs

It says the Self is inherently kūṭastha (unchanging) and nirañjana (untainted), yet due to ignorance it appears associated with body-mind, obscuring recognition of the Self as akṣara Brahman.

The verse emphasizes jñāna-yoga/ātma-viveka: withdrawing mistaken identification with the body-mind and meditating on the witness-Self as imperishable Brahman—an inner discipline aligned with the Ishvara Gita’s liberating knowledge.

While not naming Shiva or Vishnu directly, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: the highest reality taught by Lord Kurma is the one stainless, imperishable Brahman—compatible with both Shaiva and Vaishnava understandings of the Supreme as non-dual consciousness.