Shloka 78
Invocation, Purāṇa Lakṣaṇas, Kurma at the Samudra-manthana, and Indradyumna’s Liberation Teaching
Iśvara-Gītā Prelude
प्रपश्यन्ति परात्मानं ज्ञानदीपेन केवलम् / प्रपद्ये भवतो रूपं तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम्
prapaśyanti parātmānaṃ jñānadīpena kevalam / prapadye bhavato rūpaṃ tadviṣṇoḥ paramaṃ padam
เขาทั้งหลายย่อมเห็นปรมาตมันโดยตรงด้วยประทีปแห่งญาณเท่านั้น ข้าพเจ้าขอถึงพระองค์ในรูปนั้น—นั่นแลคือปรมบทของพระวิษณุ สภาวะสูงสุด.
Narrator/Sage (invocatory voice addressing the Supreme Lord identified as Viṣṇu)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It presents the Paramātman as directly knowable through jñāna (true knowledge), not through external aids—seen “with the lamp of knowledge alone.”
The verse emphasizes jñāna-sādhana—inner illumination and discernment leading to direct vision (pratyakṣa-anubhava) of the Supreme; in Kurma Purana’s synthesis this complements devotional surrender (prapatti) rather than opposing it.
By framing the Supreme as realized through knowledge and approached through surrender to the Lord’s form, it supports the Purana’s integrative theology where the one Īśvara is spoken of in sectarian names (here explicitly as Viṣṇu) without denying non-dual supremacy.