Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

तस्मात् सर्वप्रयत्नेन त्यक्त्वा कर्माश्रितं फलम् / अविद्वानपि कुर्वोत कर्माप्नोत्यचिरात् पदम्

Transliteration

tasmāt sarvaprayatnena tyaktvā karmāśritaṃ phalam / avidvānapi kurvota karmāpnotyacirāt padam

Translation

Потому, прилагая все усилия, оставь плод, зависящий от действия. Даже неучёный пусть исполняет свой долг; действием без привязанности он вскоре достигает Высшего состояния.

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), तस्मात्-प्रयोग (ablatival adverb: 'therefore/from that')

• sarva-prayatnena: with all effort
• sarva-prayatnena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + prayatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय: 'sarvaḥ prayatnaḥ' (all effort)

• tyaktvā: having abandoned
• tyaktvā: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/absolutive): 'having abandoned'

• karma-āśritam: dependent on action
• karma-āśritam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक) + āśrita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √śri with ā-)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'karmaṇi āśritam' (dependent on action)

• phalam: fruit (result)
• phalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• a-vidvān: an unlearned person
• a-vidvān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: na + vidvas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); नञ्-समास/नकारार्थ (negated): 'not learned'

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अपि-भाव (even/also)

• kurvīta: should do / should perform
• kurvīta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विध्यर्थ), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• karma: action
• karma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• āpnoti: attains
• āpnoti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: āp (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• acirāt: soon / in no long time
• acirāt: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: acira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्ययीभाव/अव्ययवत् (ablatival adverb: 'in a short time')

• padam: state / abode
• padam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

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

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• Ishvara (Supreme Lord)
• Karma
• Phala (fruit of action)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It points to a “padam” (supreme state) attainable through purified action—implying the highest realization is not merely intellectual, but reached when the sense of doership and attachment to results is relinquished, allowing awareness of the Self aligned with the Supreme Lord.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes Karma-Yoga (nishkama karma): performing prescribed duties while abandoning attachment to outcomes. In the Kurma Purana’s Ishvara Gita spirit, this becomes a preparatory discipline supporting inner steadiness, devotion to Ishvara, and readiness for higher yogic absorption.

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

While not naming Shiva explicitly, the teaching reflects the Purana’s synthetic theology: the Supreme “Ishvara” grants liberation through disciplined duty and detachment—an ethic shared across Shaiva-Pashupata and Vaishnava devotion, presenting one liberating Lord approached through Yoga and dharma.