Shloka 4

Iśvara on Māyā, the Unmanifest, and the Viśvarūpa of the One Supreme

Devanagari script

अव्यक्तं कारणं प्राहुरानन्दं ज्योतिरक्षरम् / अहमेव परं ब्रह्म मत्तो ह्यन्यन्न विद्यते

Transliteration

avyaktaṃ kāraṇaṃ prāhurānandaṃ jyotirakṣaram / ahameva paraṃ brahma matto hyanyanna vidyate

Translation

అవ్యక్తమే కారణమని చెబుతారు—అది ఆనందస్వరూపం, అక్షర జ్యోతి. నేనే పరబ్రహ్మను; నన్ను తప్ప మరొకటి లేదు.

Word by Word

• avyaktam: the unmanifest
• avyaktam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avyakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative/द्वितीया (2), Singular/एकवचन

• kāraṇam: the cause
• kāraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative/द्वितीया (2), Singular/एकवचन; in apposition to 'avyaktam'

• prāhuḥ: they declare
• prāhuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-āh (धातु)
• Form: Perfect/लिट् (लिट्-लकार), 3rd Person/प्रथमपुरुष, Plural/बहुवचन, Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• ānandam: bliss
• ānandam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ānanda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative/द्वितीया (2), Singular/एकवचन; predicate/apposition

• jyotiḥ: light
• jyotiḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyotis (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative/द्वितीया (2), Singular/एकवचन; predicate/apposition

• akṣaram: imperishable
• akṣaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative/द्वितीया (2), Singular/एकवचन; adjective to 'avyaktam/kāraṇam'

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), 1st Person, Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन

• eva: alone/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-अव्यय)

• param: supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन; agrees with 'brahma'

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Pratijñā/Predicate (विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन

• mattaḥ: from me/than me
• mattaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), 1st Person, Ablative/पञ्चमी (5), Singular/एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic/causal particle (हेतुनिश्चयार्थक-अव्यय)

• anyat: anything else
• anyat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• vidyate: exists
• vidyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: Present/लट् (लट्-लकार), 3rd Person/प्रथमपुरुष, Singular/एकवचन, Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching the Ishvara Gita

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Brahman
• Avyakta
• Akshara

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme as the Avyakta—imperishable, self-luminous bliss—and equates that absolute reality with the Lord’s own Self, leaving no independent second principle.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports Ishvara-centered contemplation (īśvara-dhyāna) on the Avyakta Light: meditation that withdraws attention from name-and-form to the imperishable, causal ground—an inner orientation consistent with Pashupata-style renunciation and one-pointed absorption.

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

By asserting a single, imperishable Brahman as the sole reality, it frames sectarian forms as expressions of one Supreme—allowing Shaiva and Vaishnava devotion to converge in non-dual realization.