Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20

Devī-tattva, Śakti–Śaktimān doctrine, Kāla–Māyā cosmology, and Māheśvara Yoga instruction

Devanagari script

सांख्यानां परमं सांख्यं ब्रह्मविज्ञानमुत्तमम् / संसारार्णवमग्नानां जन्तूनामेकमोचनम्

Transliteration

sāṃkhyānāṃ paramaṃ sāṃkhyaṃ brahmavijñānamuttamam / saṃsārārṇavamagnānāṃ jantūnāmekamocanam

Translation

ในบรรดาสางขยะทั้งหลาย สางขยะอันสูงสุดคือพรหมวิชญาณ อันเป็นญาณประเสริฐยิ่ง; สำหรับสรรพสัตว์ที่จมอยู่ในมหาสมุทรแห่งสังสารวัฏ นั่นแลคือทางหลุดพ้นเพียงหนึ่งเดียว

Word by Word

• सांख्यानाम्: of the Sāṃkhyas
• सांख्यानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सम्प्रदाय/मतानुयायी), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (सांख्यम्)

• सांख्यम्: Sāṃkhya (doctrine/knowledge)
• सांख्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मविज्ञानम्: knowledge of Brahman
• ब्रह्मविज्ञानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म-विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘ब्रह्मणो विज्ञानम्’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• उत्तमम्: excellent, highest
• उत्तमम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (ब्रह्मविज्ञानम्/सांख्यम्)

• संसारार्णवमग्नानाम्: of those sunk in the ocean of saṃsāra
• संसारार्णवमग्नानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संसार-अर्णव-मग्न (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘संसाररूपे अर्णवे मग्नाः ये’—मग्न (क्त) कृदन्त; समासः मुख्यतः सप्तमी/तत्पुरुष-आधार (संसार-अर्णवे)

• जन्तूनाम्: of creatures
• जन्तूनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• एकमोचनम्: the sole liberation
• एकमोचनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक-मोचन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘एकं मोचनम्’ (कर्मधारय)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing King Indradyumna in the Ishvara Gita

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Sāṃkhya
• Saṃsāra

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the highest discriminative wisdom (true Sāṃkhya) with Brahma-vijñāna—direct realization of Brahman/Atman—implying that liberation comes through insight into the one supreme Reality rather than mere analysis of categories.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to Brahma-vidyā as the liberating core; in the Ishvara Gita context this is pursued through disciplined Yoga—detachment from saṃsāra, contemplative discrimination (viveka), and God-centered practice aligned with Pāśupata-oriented spiritual discipline.

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

Though not naming them explicitly, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthetic stance: the liberating Brahma-vidyā taught by Lord Kūrma is the same supreme truth upheld across Shaiva and Vaishnava streams, emphasizing one moksha-giving Reality beyond sectarian difference.