Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 39

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

Devanagari script

हृत्पुण्डरीके नाभ्यां वा मूर्ध्नि पर्वतमस्तके / एवमादिषु देशेषु धारणा चित्तबन्धनम्

Transliteration

hṛtpuṇḍarīke nābhyāṃ vā mūrdhni parvatamastake / evamādiṣu deśeṣu dhāraṇā cittabandhanam

Translation

دل کے کنول میں، یا ناف میں، یا سر کے تاج پر، یا پہاڑ کی چوٹی پر ذہن کو جما دینا—ایسے مقامات میں چِتّ کو باندھ کر ثابت قدم کرنا ہی دھارَنا ہے۔

Word by Word

• हृत्-पुण्डरीके: in the heart-lotus
• हृत्-पुण्डरीके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृत्/हृद् (प्रातिपदिक) + पुण्डरीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘हृदः पुण्डरीकम्’

• नाभ्याम्: at the navel (region)
• नाभ्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन); (प्रयोगः स्थाननिर्देशे—‘नाभ्याम्’ इति)

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; विकल्पार्थक-निपातः (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head/crown
• मूर्ध्नि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• पर्वत-मस्तके: on the mountain-top
• पर्वत-मस्तके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक) + मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘पर्वतस्य मस्तकम्’

• एवम्-आदिषु: in such (places) and the like
• एवम्-आदिषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); अव्ययीभावः ‘एवम् आदयः’ = ‘such and the like’

• देशेषु: in places
• देशेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• धारणा: dhāraṇā (concentration)
• धारणा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• चित्त-बन्धनम्: binding/fixing of the mind
• चित्त-बन्धनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः ‘चित्तस्य बन्धनम्’

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing King Indradyumna (Ishvara Gita context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kūrma (Vishnu)
• Indradyumna
• Dhāraṇā
• Citta

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By defining dhāraṇā as the steady binding of citta, the verse implies that realization requires a stabilized inner instrument; when the mind is made one-pointed, the Self/Īśvara can be directly contemplated without distraction.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It teaches dhāraṇā (one-pointed concentration) by selecting a locus such as the heart-lotus, navel, crown, or a sacred elevated place (mountain peak) and repeatedly fastening attention there—an Ishvara Gita-style instruction aligned with Pāśupata-inflected yoga discipline.

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

Though not naming either deity here, the Ishvara Gita setting presents Kūrma-Vishnu teaching a yoga method widely shared across Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions, reflecting the Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis in practical sādhanā.