Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 19

Varnāśrama-Krama, Vairāgya as the Ground of Saṃnyāsa, and Brahmārpaṇa Karma-yoga

Devanagari script

कार्यमित्येव यत्कर्म नियतं सङ्गवर्जितम् / क्रियते विदुषा कर्म तद्भवेदपि मोक्षदम्

Transliteration

kāryamityeva yatkarma niyataṃ saṅgavarjitam / kriyate viduṣā karma tadbhavedapi mokṣadam

Translation

Hành động nào được ấn định là bổn phận, được làm không dính mắc, chỉ vì “cần phải làm”, thì khi bậc trí thực hành, hành động ấy cũng có thể ban giải thoát (mokṣa).

Word by Word

• kāryam: (it is) to be done / duty
• kāryam: Prayojaka-bhāva (वाक्य-प्रयोग/उक्तिः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); इति-पूर्वकं वाक्यांश (quoted predicate)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), उद्धरण-चिह्न (quotative particle)

• eva: indeed / only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• yat: which
• yat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धक (relative) qualifying karma

• karma: action
• karma: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• niyatam: prescribed / regulated
• niyatam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niyata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of karma

• saṅga-varjitam: free from attachment
• saṅga-varjitam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + varjita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √vṛj/varj)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'saṅgaṃ varjitam' (devoid of attachment)

• kriyate: is done
• kriyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• viduṣā: by a wise person
• viduṣā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidvas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• karma: action
• karma: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); पुनरुक्ति for emphasis

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• bhavet: would become / may become
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विध्यर्थ), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अपि-भाव (even/also)

• mokṣa-dam: liberation-giving
• mokṣa-dam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mokṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + da (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √dā)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'mokṣaṃ dadāti' (giving liberation)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing on dharma and liberating action (karma-yoga)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Vishnu
• Moksha
• Karma
• Dharma

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By teaching action without attachment, the verse points to inner freedom: when the sense of doership and craving for results is relinquished, the Self is no longer bound by karma, making realization (and thus liberation) possible.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes karma-yoga: disciplined performance of prescribed duties (niyata-karma) with saṅga-tyāga (renunciation of attachment). This is a foundational purification practice that supports higher yogic absorption and knowledge.

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

The teaching aligns with shared yogic-dharmic principles honored in both Shaiva and Vaishnava streams—purifying action offered without attachment—reflecting the Kurma Purana’s synthetic approach rather than sectarian opposition.