Shloka 116

Invocation, Purāṇa Lakṣaṇas, Kurma at the Samudra-manthana, and Indradyumna’s Liberation Teaching

Iśvara-Gītā Prelude

Devanagari script

स्वात्मानमक्षरं व्योमतद् विष्णोः परमं पदम् / आनन्दमचलं ब्रह्म स्थानं तत्पारमेश्वरम्

Transliteration

svātmānamakṣaraṃ vyomatad viṣṇoḥ paramaṃ padam / ānandamacalaṃ brahma sthānaṃ tatpārameśvaram

Translation

อาตมันภายในอันไม่เสื่อมสลาย แผ่ซ่านดุจห้วงอากาศกว้างไพศาล นั่นคือปรมบทของพระวิษณุ—พรหมันอันมั่นคงไม่หวั่นไหว ความปีติบริสุทธิ์ และสถานะสูงสุดของพระปรเมศวร।

Word by Word

• स्वात्मानम्: one’s own Self
• स्वात्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय (स्वः आत्मा)

• अक्षरम्: imperishable
• अक्षरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• व्योम: the sky/space
• व्योम: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्योमन्/व्योम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (अव्यक्त-सम्बन्धेन)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• पदम्: abode/state
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आनन्दम्: bliss
• आनन्दम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (पदम् इत्यस्य विशेषणार्थे)

• अचलम्: immovable/unchanging
• अचलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

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

• स्थानम्: place/abode
• स्थानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पारमेश्वरम्: supremely divine/of the Supreme Lord
• पारमेश्वरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (परमस्य ईश्वरः → पारमेश्वर)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) as teacher in a Purāṇic discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahman
• Parameshvara
• Atman

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Ātman as akṣara (imperishable) and vyoma-like (all-pervading), equating the realized Self with changeless Brahman and bliss—i.e., the highest spiritual state.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to contemplative Yoga centered on ātma-jñāna: meditating on the inner Self as imperishable, all-pervading, and unmoving. In Kurma Purana’s synthesis, this aligns with disciplined Yoga leading to Brahman-realization under devotion to the Supreme Lord.

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

By calling the supreme state both “Vishnu’s highest abode” and “pārameśvara” (of Parameśvara), it supports the Purāṇa’s integrative theology where the supreme Reality is one—named through Vishnu and also through the lordship-language common to Shaiva traditions.