Shloka 26

Varnāśrama-Krama, Vairāgya as the Ground of Saṃnyāsa, and Brahmārpaṇa Karma-yoga

Devanagari script

वीक्षते परमात्मानं परं ब्रह्म महेश्वरम् / नित्यानन्दं निराभासं तस्मिन्नेव लयं व्रजेत्

Transliteration

vīkṣate paramātmānaṃ paraṃ brahma maheśvaram / nityānandaṃ nirābhāsaṃ tasminneva layaṃ vrajet

Translation

वीक्षेत परमात्मानं परं ब्रह्म महेश्वरम्। नित्यानन्दं निराभासं तस्मिन्नेव लयं व्रजेत्॥

Word by Word

• वीक्षते: beholds
• वीक्षते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वीक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• परमात्मानम्: the Supreme Self
• परमात्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (परमः आत्मा)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (ब्रह्म)

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• महेश्वरम्: the Great Lord
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् ईश्वरः)

• नित्यानन्दम्: ever-blissful
• नित्यानन्दम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय; विशेषण (महेश्वरम्/परमात्मानम्)

• निराभासम्: without appearance/without reflection (unmanifest)
• निराभासम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + आभास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (महेश्वरम्/परमात्मानम्)

• तस्मिन्: in him/in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• लयम्: dissolution/absorption
• लयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• व्रजेत्: should go/enter
• व्रजेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching a Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis of the Supreme as Maheśvara/Paramātman

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Paramatman
• Brahman
• Maheśvara

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme Self as the highest Brahman and also as Maheśvara—eternal bliss and beyond phenomenal appearance—indicating a non-dual Absolute described in theistic language.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to contemplative seeing (vīkṣaṇa/dhyāna) culminating in laya—absorptive dissolution of the mind into the Supreme—consistent with Pāśupata-oriented meditative discipline and samādhi-by-absorption.

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

Though spoken in a Vaiṣṇava Purāṇa context, the Supreme is named Maheśvara while simultaneously called Paramātman and Brahman, expressing the Kurma Purana’s integrative view that the highest reality transcends sectarian division.