Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 10

Īśvara-gītā: Bhakti as the Supreme Means; the Three Śaktis; Non-compelled Lordship

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्या धार्मिका मामुपासते / तेषां ददामि तत् स्थानमानन्दं परमं पदम्

Transliteration

brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā vaiśyā dhārmikā māmupāsate / teṣāṃ dadāmi tat sthānamānandaṃ paramaṃ padam

Translation

Ang mga matuwid na Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, at Vaiśya ay sumasamba sa Akin; sa kanila’y ipinagkakaloob Ko ang tahanang yaon—ang sukdulang kalagayan ng kaligayahang banal, ang pinakamataas na hantungan.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• क्षत्रियाः: Kshatriyas
• क्षत्रियाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वैश्याः: Vaishyas
• वैश्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• धार्मिकाः: righteous, pious
• धार्मिकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धार्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the subjects)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• उपासते: worship, serve
• उपासते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तेषाम्: to/for them; of them
• तेषाम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• ददामि: I give
• ददामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying स्थानम्)

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

• आनन्दम्: bliss
• आनन्दम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; appositional/object-complement to स्थानम्

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying पदम्)

• पदम्: state, station, abode
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; in apposition with स्थानम्

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing devotees within a dharma-and-yoga framework

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Kūrma
• Viṣṇu
• Dharma
• Brāhmaṇa
• Kṣatriya
• Vaiśya
• Paramapada

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as a personal, worship-worthy Lord who bestows “paramaṃ padam,” indicating liberation as entry into (or realization of) the highest state of bliss granted by the Supreme Reality.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The key practice is upāsanā (devotional contemplation and worship) integrated with dharma—discipline of conduct aligned with varṇāśrama duties—serving as a direct means toward the supreme abode.

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

While Viṣṇu speaks as the granting Lord, the teaching aligns with the Purāṇa’s synthesis: the supreme “paramaṃ padam” is reached through dharma and devoted upāsanā, a framework shared across both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva (including Pāśupata) soteriology in the text.