Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 49

Brahmacārin-Dharma: Guru-Sevā, Daily Vedic Study, Gāyatrī-Japa, and Anadhyāya Regulations

Devanagari script

सहस्रपरमां देवीं शतमध्यां दशावराम् / गायत्रीं वै जपेन्नित्यं जपयज्ञः प्रकीर्तितः

Transliteration

sahasraparamāṃ devīṃ śatamadhyāṃ daśāvarām / gāyatrīṃ vai japennityaṃ japayajñaḥ prakīrtitaḥ

Translation

Nên tụng niệm Nữ Thần Gāyatrī mỗi ngày—bậc tối thượng là một nghìn, bậc trung là một trăm, bậc hạ là mười. Sự tụng niệm thường hằng ấy được tuyên xưng là japa-yajña, tế lễ bằng thần chú nơi nội tâm.

Word by Word

• सहस्रपरमाम्: having a thousand as the supreme (count)
• सहस्रपरमाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र + परमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘देवीम्/गायत्रीम्’; तत्पुरुषः (सहस्रं परमा यस्याः/यत्र: having a thousand as the highest)

• देवीम्: the goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शतमध्याम्: having a hundred as the middle
• शतमध्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘देवीम्/गायत्रीम्’; तत्पुरुषः (शतं मध्यं यस्याः: having a hundred as the middle)

• दशावराम्: having ten as the lowest
• दशावराम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश + अवरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘देवीम्/गायत्रीम्’; तत्पुरुषः (दश अवरा यस्याः: having ten as the lowest)

• गायत्रीम्: the Gāyatrī (mantra)
• गायत्रीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-निपात (indeed)

• जपेत्: should repeat (japa)
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

• जपयज्ञः: the japa-sacrifice
• जपयज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जपस्य यज्ञः: sacrifice in the form of japa)

• प्रकीर्तितः: is proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तितः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate: ‘is proclaimed’)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing sages on dharma and mantra-practice

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Gayatri Devi
• Japa-yajna

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By redefining yajña as inner japa, the verse points to inward purification and contemplation, where the mantra becomes a means to steady awareness toward the indwelling Self rather than relying only on external ritual.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Nitya-japa of Gāyatrī is presented as japa-yajña—an interiorized, disciplined practice with graded counts (10/100/1000), aligning with yogic concentration (dhāraṇā) and daily sādhanā within varṇāśrama conduct.

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

Though not naming Shiva directly, the teaching harmonizes with the Purana’s synthesis: the same inner-yajña ideal valued in Śaiva (including Pāśupata) and Vaiṣṇava streams is affirmed as a universal dharmic method of realization.