Shloka 1

Īśvara-gītā: Bhakti as the Supreme Means; the Three Śaktis; Non-compelled Lordship

Devanagari script

इति श्रीकूर्मपुराणे षट्साहस्त्र्यां संहितायामुपरिविभागे (ईश्वरगीतासु) तृतीयो ऽध्यायः ईश्वर उवाच वक्ष्ये समाहिता यूयं शृणुध्वं ब्रह्मवादिनः / माहात्म्यं देवदेवस्य येनेदं संप्रवर्तते

Transliteration

iti śrīkūrmapurāṇe ṣaṭsāhastryāṃ saṃhitāyāmuparivibhāge (īśvaragītāsu) tṛtīyo 'dhyāyaḥ īśvara uvāca vakṣye samāhitā yūyaṃ śṛṇudhvaṃ brahmavādinaḥ / māhātmyaṃ devadevasya yenedaṃ saṃpravartate

Translation

ఇట్లు శ్రీకూర్మపురాణంలోని షట్సాహస్త్రీ సంహితా ఉత్తరవిభాగంలో, ఈశ్వరగీతలలో తృతీయ అధ్యాయం. ఈశ్వరుడు పలికెను—హే బ్రహ్మవాదులారా, మీరు సమాహితులై వినండి; దీనివలన ఈ ఉపదేశం/ధర్మప్రవాహం ప్రవర్తించునట్లు దేవదేవుని మహాత్మ్యాన్ని నేను చెప్పుదును।

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• श्रीकूर्मपुराणे: in the Śrī Kūrma Purāṇa
• श्रीकूर्मपुराणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + कूर्मपुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular)

• षट्साहस्त्र्याम्: in the six-thousand (named)
• षट्साहस्त्र्याम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् + साहस्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular); संख्यासमास (numeral compound)

• संहितायाम्: in the Saṃhitā
• संहितायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular)

• उपरिविभागे: in the upper section/division
• उपरिविभागे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपरि + विभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular)

• ईश्वरगीतासु: among the Īśvara-gītās
• ईश्वरगीतासु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर + गीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तृतीयः: third
• तृतीयः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• ईश्वरः: Īśvara (the Lord)
• ईश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• वक्ष्ये: I shall speak
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular)

• समाहिताः: collected/attentive
• समाहिताः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सम्-आ-धा)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural)

• यूयम्: you (all)
• यूयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम

• शृणुध्वम्: listen
• शृणुध्वम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ब्रह्मवादिनः: O expounders of Brahman
• ब्रह्मवादिनः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural)

• माहात्म्यम्: greatness / glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवदेवस्य: of the God of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• संप्रवर्तते: proceeds / comes into operation
• संप्रवर्तते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Ishvara (the Lord; in the Ishvara Gita context, Lord Kurma/Vishnu speaking with Shaiva-terminology of Devadeva)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kurma Purana
• Ishvara
• Devadeva
• Brahmavadins

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By addressing the listeners as brahmavādinaḥ and announcing a teaching grounded in the “greatness of Devadeva,” the verse frames the coming doctrine as Brahman-centered: the Supreme is the source by which the whole order of teaching and dharma proceeds.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The immediate practice is samādhāna—mental collectedness (samāhitāḥ). The verse sets a yogic tone: disciplined attention and inner steadiness are prerequisites for receiving the Ishvara Gita’s Pāśupata-oriented instruction.

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

The speaker is Īśvara in the Kurma Purana (a Vishnu/Kūrma setting) yet the focus is Devadeva, a strongly Shaiva epithet—signaling the text’s synthetic stance where the supreme Lord is praised through shared titles rather than sectarian separation.