Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 135

Īśvara-Gītā (continued): Twofold Yoga, Aṣṭāṅga Discipline, Pāśupata Meditation, and the Unity of Nārāyaṇa–Maheśvara

Devanagari script

वर्तध्वं तत्प्रसादेन कर्मयोगेन शङ्करम् / पूजयध्वं महादेवं गोपतिं भूतिभूषणम्

Transliteration

vartadhvaṃ tatprasādena karmayogena śaṅkaram / pūjayadhvaṃ mahādevaṃ gopatiṃ bhūtibhūṣaṇam

Translation

اُس کے فضل سے کرم یوگ کے ضابطے میں رہ کر عمل کرو؛ شنکر—مہادیو، گوپتی، بھوتوں کے نگہبان، مقدّس بھسم سے آراستہ—کی پوجا کرو۔

Word by Word

• वर्तध्वम्: act; proceed; engage (yourselves)
• वर्तध्वम्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन (plural), आत्मनेपद

• तत्-प्रसादेन: by his grace
• तत्-प्रसादेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (his grace)

• कर्म-योगेन: by karma-yoga
• कर्म-योगेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (yoga of action)

• शङ्करम्: Śaṅkara
• शङ्करम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• पूजयध्वम्: worship (you all)
• पूजयध्वम्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन (plural), आत्मनेपद

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva
• महादेवम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (the great god)

• गो-पतिम्: lord of cows
• गो-पतिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (lord of cows)

• भूति-भूषणम्: ornamented with bhūti (prosperity/holy ash)
• भूति-भूषणम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूति (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ornament of prosperity/ashes)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing the sages/seekers in the Īśvara-gītā context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Shankara (Shiva)
• Mahadeva
• Karma-yoga
• Pashupata (implied Shaiva discipline)
• Bhuti (Vibhuti / sacred ash)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It frames liberation-oriented life as grounded in divine grace and disciplined action (karma-yoga), pointing to the Supreme as accessible through devoted worship of Śiva—suggesting the one Lord is realized through practice rather than mere theory.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Karma-yoga is explicit: living rightly and offering actions as worship. The verse also implies Śiva-upāsanā in a Pāśupata spirit—devotion, reverence, and disciplined conduct supported by grace.

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

Spoken within a Vaiṣṇava Purāṇa voice (Kūrma/Viṣṇu) yet directing worship to Śiva, it reinforces the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: honoring Śiva is presented as fully aligned with the highest divine path.