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Shloka 40

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

देशावस्थितिमालम्ब्य बुद्धेर्या वृत्तिसंततिः / वृत्त्यन्तरैरसंसृष्टा तद्ध्यानं सूरयो विदुः

deśāvasthitimālambya buddheryā vṛttisaṃtatiḥ / vṛttyantarairasaṃsṛṣṭā taddhyānaṃ sūrayo viduḥ

देशावस्थितिमालम्ब्य बुद्धेर्वृत्तिसंततिः। वृत्त्यन्तरैरसंसृष्टा तद्ध्यानं मुनयो विदुः॥

deśa-avasthitimthe state/position of a place
deśa-avasthitim:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootdeśa (प्रातिपदिक) + avasthiti (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): deśasya avasthitiḥ
ālambyahaving relied on
ālambya:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Rootā-√lamb (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय-प्रयोग (indeclinable verbal); ‘having taken support of’
buddheḥof the intellect
buddheḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootbuddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Gen. 6), एकवचन (sg.)
which
:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootyad (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)
vṛtti-saṃtatiḥcontinuity/stream of mental modifications
vṛtti-saṃtatiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootvṛtti (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃtati (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: vṛtteḥ saṃtatiḥ
vṛtti-antaraiḥby other modifications
vṛtti-antaraiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootvṛtti (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Inst. 3), बहुवचन (pl.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: vṛtteḥ antarāṇi
asaṃsṛṣṭāunmixed, not connected
asaṃsṛṣṭā:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roota- + saṃ-√sṛj (धातु)
Formकृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); नकारार्थक उपसर्ग ‘a-’
tatthat
tat:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1/2), एकवचन (sg.); निर्देश/सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम
dhyānammeditation
dhyānam:
Karta (कर्ता) / Pratijñā (predicate nominative)
TypeNoun
Rootdhyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)
sūrayaḥthe sages
sūrayaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsūri (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.)
viduḥknow/declare
viduḥ:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vid (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (pl.), परस्मैपद

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) teaching Ishvara Gita to King Indradyumna (via the sages’ transmission)

Primary Rasa: shanta

K
Kūrma
B
Buddhi
D
Dhyāna
V
Vṛtti

FAQs

By defining dhyāna as an unmixed, continuous mental stream fixed on one support, the verse implies that realization arises when the mind stops scattering into other vṛttis—making the Self/Ishvara’s presence evident through steady contemplative absorption.

It highlights dhyāna as ekāgratā: sustaining one unbroken current of attention anchored in a chosen locus (deśa) and inner state (avasthā), without intrusion of other thoughts—an Ishvara-Gita style instruction aligned with Pāśupata-oriented discipline.

Though not naming Shiva directly, the Ishvara Gita framework presents meditation as devotionally and philosophically compatible with both Shaiva and Vaishnava paths—one-pointed dhyāna on Ishvara is the shared method within the Kurma Purana’s synthesis.