Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

तस्मात् सर्वप्रयत्नेन तत्र तत्राश्रमे रतः / कर्माणीश्वरतुष्ट्यर्थं कुर्यान्नैष्कर्म्यमाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

tasmāt sarvaprayatnena tatra tatrāśrame rataḥ / karmāṇīśvaratuṣṭyarthaṃ kuryānnaiṣkarmyamāpnuyāt

Translation

Vì thế, với mọi nỗ lực, an trú trong bổn phận của chính mình theo từng āśrama (giai đoạn đời sống), hãy hành động để làm đẹp lòng Đấng Tối Thượng (Īśvara); nhờ vậy đạt naiṣkarmya—trạng thái vượt ngoài hành động.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apādāna-artha (हेतु/अपादानार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगवत्; पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण निपातवत् (ablatival adverb: therefore/from that)

• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: with all effort
• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सर्वः प्रयत्नः = all effort)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa-artha (अधिकरणार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb: there)

• तत्र: there (in each case)
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa-artha (अधिकरणार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति (there, in each place)

• आश्रमे: in the āśrama (stage/order)
• आश्रमे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन

• रतः: being devoted/engaged
• रतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (रम् धातोः क्त) = engaged/devoted

• कर्माणि: actions
• कर्माणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन

• ईश्वरतुष्ट्यर्थम्: for the sake of pleasing the Lord
• ईश्वरतुष्ट्यर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + तुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/उद्देश्य), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ईश्वरस्य तुष्टिः) + तत्पुरुष (तुष्ट्यर्थम् = for the sake of satisfaction)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नैष्कर्म्यम्: actionlessness (freedom from binding action)
• नैष्कर्म्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैष्कर्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• आप्नुयात्: should attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing sages (Kurma Purana dharma-teaching context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara
• Āśrama (Varnashrama-dharma)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies that liberation is not achieved by mere outer inactivity, but by inner freedom from doership and bondage: when actions are offered to Īśvara, one reaches naiṣkarmya—acting without karmic attachment, which aligns the mind with the Self’s unattached nature.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights karma-yoga within varnashrama: disciplined performance of one’s prescribed duties with īśvara-tuṣṭi (God-pleasing intention). This purifies the mind (citta-śuddhi) and supports higher yogic absorption by reducing egoic agency.

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

By centering practice on Īśvara (the Lord) rather than sectarian identity, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance: devotion and offering to the one Supreme Lord—understood across Shaiva-Vaishnava idioms—leads to the same liberating naiṣkarmya.