Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

Varnāśrama-Krama, Vairāgya as the Ground of Saṃnyāsa, and Brahmārpaṇa Karma-yoga

Devanagari script

नाहं कर्ता सर्वमेतद् ब्रह्मैव कुरुते तथा / एतद् ब्रह्मार्पणं प्रोक्तमृषिभिः तत्त्वदर्शिभिः

Transliteration

nāhaṃ kartā sarvametad brahmaiva kurute tathā / etad brahmārpaṇaṃ proktamṛṣibhiḥ tattvadarśibhiḥ

Translation

“เราไม่ใช่ผู้กระทำ ทั้งหมดนี้พรหมันเท่านั้นกระทำตามนั้น” ดังนี้เหล่าฤษีผู้เห็นสัจจะได้กล่าวสอนว่าเป็น ‘พรหมารปณะ’ คือการน้อมอุทิศทุกสิ่งสู่พรหมัน

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कर्ता: doer, agent
• कर्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kartṛ (कृदन्त; कृ धातोः तृच्)
• Form: तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here qualifying एतत्

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; object-domain 'this (all)'

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• कुरुते: does
• कुरुते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तथा: thus, in that way
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here as qualifier of ब्रह्मार्पणम्

• ब्रह्म-अर्पणम्: Brahman-offering
• ब्रह्म-अर्पणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman + arpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रोक्तम्: has been declared
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prokta (कृदन्त; प्र-वच् धातोः क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate with implied 'अस्ति'

• ऋषिभिः: by sages
• ऋषिभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• तत्त्व-दर्शिभिः: by truth-seers
• तत्त्व-दर्शिभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva + darśin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; apposition to ऋषिभिः

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the listener(s) in a non-dual, devotion-integrated discipline of action

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Rishis (tattvadarśins)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It asserts akartṛtva: the true Self is not an individual doer; all activity is ultimately grounded in Brahman, so realization shifts identity from ego-agency to the Absolute.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It points to Karma-Yoga framed as brahmārpaṇa—performing duties while relinquishing doership and offering actions (and their fruits) to Brahman, a practical contemplative discipline aligned with Purāṇic yoga.

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

By centering Brahman as the sole ultimate agent, it supports the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: Shiva and Vishnu are approached as expressions of the one Supreme Reality, making devotion compatible with non-dual insight.