Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 45

Prākṛta-pralaya, Pratisarga Doctrine, and the Ishvara-Samanvaya of Yoga and Devotion

Devanagari script

एष योगः समुद्दिष्टः सबीजो ऽत्यन्तभावने / यथाविधि प्रकुर्वाणः प्राप्नुयादैश्वरं पदम्

Transliteration

eṣa yogaḥ samuddiṣṭaḥ sabījo 'tyantabhāvane / yathāvidhi prakurvāṇaḥ prāpnuyādaiśvaraṃ padam

Translation

Itinuro ang Yogang ito—may binhi (bīja) bilang sandigan sa malalim na pagninilay. Ang sinumang magsasagawa nito ayon sa itinakdang paraan ay makakamit ang kalagayang makapangyarihan ng Panginoon (aiśvarya-pada).

Word by Word

• eṣaḥ: this
• eṣaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• yogaḥ: yoga
• yogaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• samuddiṣṭaḥ: has been taught
• samuddiṣṭaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ud-diś (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta PPP (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• sa-bījaḥ: with seed
• sa-bījaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय) + bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound adjective; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• atyanta-bhāvane: in the highest contemplation/meditation
• atyanta-bhāvane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atyanta (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययार्थ) + bhāvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) (bhāvane)

• yathā-vidhi: according to the prescribed method
• yathā-vidhi: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva adverb; ‘according to rule’; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• prakurvāṇaḥ: doing, performing
• prakurvāṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-kṛ (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Parasmaipada sense; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• prāpnuyāt: may attain
• prāpnuyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-āp (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• aiśvaram: lordly, divine
• aiśvaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aiśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• padam: state, abode
• padam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing on Īśvara-centered Yoga

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Ishvara
• Pashupata Yoga

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It frames liberation as reaching an Īśvara-like sovereign state (aiśvaraṃ padam) through disciplined contemplation—implying the Self’s realization as sharing in the Lord’s transcendence rather than remaining bound to limited individuality.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes sabīja-yoga—meditation supported by a “seed” such as mantra, divine form, or a chosen contemplative object—undertaken yathāvidhi, i.e., according to the authorized method typical of Pāśupata-oriented discipline.

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

By presenting Īśvara-realization as the goal of yoga within a Kūrma (Viṣṇu) teaching context, it reflects the Purāṇa’s non-sectarian synthesis where devotion and yoga culminate in the one Lordly reality (Īśvara) honored across Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava idioms.