Shloka 23

Avimukta-Māhātmya — Vyāsa in Vārāṇasī and Śiva’s Secret Teaching of Liberation

Devanagari script

तत्र भक्ता महादेवि मदीयं व्रतमास्थिताः / निवसन्ति महात्मानः परं नियममास्थिताः

Transliteration

tatra bhaktā mahādevi madīyaṃ vratamāsthitāḥ / nivasanti mahātmānaḥ paraṃ niyamamāsthitāḥ

Translation

ณที่นั้น โอ้มหาเทวี เหล่าภักตะผู้ตั้งมั่นในวรตะของเราอาศัยอยู่—เป็นมหาตมะ ผู้มั่นคงในวินัยและการสำรวมอันสูงสุด

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• भक्ताः: devotees
• भक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• महादेवि: O great goddess
• महादेवि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8 विभक्ति), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: महा + देवी

• मदीयम्: my
• मदीयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मदीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; possessive adjective ‘my’

• व्रतम्: vow/observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आस्थिताः: having undertaken
• आस्थिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘having undertaken/observing’

• निवसन्ति: they dwell
• निवसन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-वास् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• महात्मानः: great-souled ones
• महात्मानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: महा + आत्मन्

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘supreme’

• नियमम्: discipline/restraint
• नियमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आस्थिताः: having adopted
• आस्थिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘having adopted’

Speaker

Lord Shiva (addressing Mahadevi/Parvati)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Mahadevi
• Mahadeva (Shiva)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By praising those established in the “highest niyama,” the verse points to inner mastery and steadiness—traits traditionally associated with Atman-realization, where the disciplined mind abides in its own luminous nature rather than in outward restlessness.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes vrata (regulated sacred observance) and niyama (ethical-religious restraints). In Yoga-shastra terms, niyama supports concentration and meditation by purifying conduct, stabilizing the senses, and making devotion (bhakti) a sustained practice rather than a momentary emotion.

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

While explicitly Shaiva in voice (“my vrata”), the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis frames such disciplined devotion as a shared path to the one Supreme—harmonizing Shaiva vrata-niyama with the Purana’s wider Hari-Hara unity ethos.