Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 147

Prāyaścitta for Theft, Forbidden Foods, Impurity, and Ritual Lapses; Tīrtha–Vrata Remedies; Pativratā Mahātmyam via Sītā and Agni

Devanagari script

स्थापयेद् यः परं धर्मं ज्ञानं तत्पारमेश्वरम् / न तस्मादधिको लोके स योगी परमो मतः

Transliteration

sthāpayed yaḥ paraṃ dharmaṃ jñānaṃ tatpārameśvaram / na tasmādadhiko loke sa yogī paramo mataḥ

Translation

جو اعلیٰ ترین دھرم قائم کرتا ہے—یعنی وہ گیان جو پرمیشور سے متعلق ہے—اس سے بڑھ کر دنیا میں کوئی نہیں؛ وہی پرم یوگی مانا جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• स्थापयेत्: should establish
• स्थापयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (धर्मम्)

• धर्मम्: dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (धर्मस्य अप्पोजिशन/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Deictic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देशक

• पारमेश्वरम्: pertaining to the Supreme Lord
• पारमेश्वरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पारमेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (ज्ञानम्/धर्मम्)

• तत्पारमेश्वरम्: that (which is) divine/supremely lordly
• तत्पारमेश्वरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् + पारमेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (तत् एव पारमेश्वरम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• तस्मात्: than him; from him
• तस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अधिकः: greater; superior
• अधिकः: Pratijna (प्रतीज्ञा/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक-भाव (superior)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• योगी: yogin
• योगी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमः: supreme
• परमः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (योगी)

• मतः: is considered
• मतः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘इति मतः’ = ‘is considered’

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing sages/Indradyumna within the Upari-bhaga’s Ishvara-Gita-style teaching stream

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parameśvara
• Dharma
• Jñāna
• Yogī

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It frames liberation-oriented jñāna as “pārameśvara”—rooted in the Supreme Lord—implying that the highest truth of the Self is realized through God-grounded knowledge rather than mere ritual or status.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes jñāna-yoga as the core of “parama-dharma”: stabilizing (sthāpayet) liberating knowledge in oneself and society—consistent with the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-leaning discipline where realization and right teaching are central yogic acts.

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

By using the title Parameśvara and elevating “pārameśvara-jñāna” as supreme, it supports the Purana’s synthetic stance: the highest yogic knowledge is devotionally and metaphysically anchored in the one Supreme Lord, harmonizing Shaiva and Vaishnava theological language.