Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 64

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

Devanagari script

ध्यायीत तन्मयो नित्यमेकरूपं महेश्वरम् / विशोध्य सर्वतत्त्वानि प्रणवेनाथवा पुनः

Transliteration

dhyāyīta tanmayo nityamekarūpaṃ maheśvaram / viśodhya sarvatattvāni praṇavenāthavā punaḥ

Translation

Hòa tan trọn vẹn trong Ngài, hãy thường hằng thiền quán Maheśvara, Đấng Một Thể với hình tướng duy nhất bất biến; và sau khi thanh lọc mọi tattva, lại lấy Pranava (Oṃ) mà thanh tịnh và an trụ lần nữa.

Word by Word

• ध्यायीत: should meditate
• ध्यायीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhyai (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Singular (एकवचन)

• तत्-मयः: absorbed in That
• तत्-मयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); ‘consisting of/identified with that’

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: Adverbial accusative used as indeclinable (अव्ययवत्; कालवाचक)

• एक-रूपम्: of one form
• एक-रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: ‘one-formed’

• महेश्वरम्: Mahēśvara (Great Lord)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: ‘great Lord’

• विशोध्य: having purified
• विशोध्य: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वकालिक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-śudh (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्/य-प्रत्यय), ‘having purified’

• सर्व-तत्त्वानि: all the tattvas/principles
• सर्व-तत्त्वानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Plural (बहुवचन); कर्मधारय: ‘all principles’

• प्रणवेन: by the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) Singular (एकवचन)

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक)

• पुनः: again/further
• पुनः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (अव्यय; पुनरावृत्ति/पुनः)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) teaching the Ishvara Gita to the sages (in the Indradyumna narrative frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Praṇava (Oṁ)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It points to a single, unchanging Lord (ekarūpa Maheśvara) to be realized through steady identification (tanmaya) and inner purification—implying that true realization is unity of awareness with the One.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It prescribes dhyāna with complete absorption (tanmaya) and the purification of the tattvas, supported by japa/contemplation of the Pranava (Oṁ), a classic Pāśupata-leaning method of inner refinement and concentration.

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

Within the Kurma Purana’s Ishvara Gita (spoken by Lord Kūrma), the Supreme is taught as Maheśvara, showing a harmonizing Shaiva-Vaishnava theology where Vishnu instructs devotion/meditation upon Shiva as the one Lord.