Shloka 49

Īśvara-gītā (Adhyāya 2) — Ātma-svarūpa, Māyā, and the Unity of Sāṅkhya–Yoga

Devanagari script

पश्यन्ति ऋषयो हेतुमात्मनः सूक्ष्मदर्शिनः / निर्गुणामलरूपस्य यत्तदैश्वर्यमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

paśyanti ṛṣayo hetumātmanaḥ sūkṣmadarśinaḥ / nirguṇāmalarūpasya yattadaiśvaryamuttamam

Translation

باریک بین رِشی آتما کے سبب کو دیکھتے ہیں—اس حقیقت کے اعلیٰ ترین اقتدار کو جس کا روپ بے داغ اور گُنوں سے ماورا ہے۔

Word by Word

• paśyanti: they see
• paśyanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; धातु: दृश् (to see)

• ṛṣayaḥ: sages
• ṛṣayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• hetum: cause
• hetum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• ātmanaḥ: of the Self
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• sūkṣma-darśinaḥ: subtle-seers
• sūkṣma-darśinaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūkṣma (प्रातिपदिक) + darśin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (determinative: 'sūkṣmaṃ paśyanti'); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• nirguṇa-amala-rūpasya: of (one) whose form is attribute-less and stainless
• nirguṇa-amala-rūpasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirguṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + amala (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (determinative chain: 'nirguṇaṃ ca amalaṃ ca rūpaṃ yasya/whose form is...'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग (rūpa as neuter), षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• yat: which/that
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• tad: that
• tad: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; correlative

• aiśvaryam: sovereignty/power
• aiśvaryam: Karma/Predicate (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aiśvarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• uttamam: supreme
• uttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Narratorial teaching within the Kurma Purana’s doctrinal exposition (aligned with Lord Kurma’s Ishvara-centered instruction to sages/seekers)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Atman
• Rishis
• Ishvara

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It teaches that realized sages discern the ultimate ground of the Self as the supreme Lordship (aiśvarya) of the Reality that is nirguṇa (beyond qualities) and amala (stainless), indicating a transcendental Ishvara/Absolute known through refined insight.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes sūkṣma-darśana—subtle, discriminative inner vision—suggesting jñāna-yoga supported by meditative refinement (dhyāna) whereby the seeker directly intuits the nirguṇa purity and sovereignty of Ishvara.

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

By focusing on a single nirguṇa, stainless Supreme with unsurpassed aiśvarya, it supports the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the highest Ishvara is one Reality, reverenced through both Shaiva (Pashupata) and Vaishnava frames without contradiction.