Shloka 20

Yati-Āśrama: Bhikṣā-vidhi, Īśvara-dhyāna, and Prāyaścitta

Mahādeva as Non-dual Brahman

Devanagari script

गुह्याद् गुह्यतमं ज्ञानं यतीनामेतदीरितम् / यो ऽनुतिष्ठेन्महेशेन सो ऽश्नुते योगमैश्वरम्

Transliteration

guhyād guhyatamaṃ jñānaṃ yatīnāmetadīritam / yo 'nutiṣṭhenmaheśena so 'śnute yogamaiśvaram

Translation

Đây là tri kiến bí mật nhất—kín nhiệm hơn mọi điều kín nhiệm—được tuyên thuyết cho các du-gi ẩn tu. Ai thực hành như Maheśa (Śiva) đã dạy sẽ đạt Yoga thần thánh, tối thượng và tự tại.

Word by Word

• guhyāt: than (what is) secret
• guhyāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Ablative, Singular); तुलनाबोधक (comparative base: 'than secret')

• guhyatamam: most secret
• guhyatamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guhya-tama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Acc, Sg); तमप्-प्रत्यय (superlative)

• jñānam: knowledge
• jñānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• yatīnām: of ascetics
• yatīnām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (एतद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular)

• īritam: declared; taught
• īritam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √īr (ईर्) (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom, Sg); एतत् विशेषण

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine relative pronoun, Nom, Sg)

• anutiṣṭhet: should practice; should follow
• anutiṣṭhet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√sthā (स्था) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Optative, 3rd sg, Parasmaipada)

• maheśena: by Maheśa (Śiva)
• maheśena: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Singular)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nom, Sg)

• aśnute: attains; enjoys
• aśnute: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √aś (अश्) (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (Present, 3rd sg, Ātmanepada)

• yogam: yoga
• yogam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• aiśvaram: lordly; divine
• aiśvaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aiśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Acc, Sg); योगम् विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing in a Śaiva-affirming synthesis (Iśvara-centered Yoga, attributed to Maheśa)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Maheśa (Śiva)
• Yatī (renunciants)
• Aiśvara Yoga (Īśvara-yoga)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It frames liberation-oriented knowledge as “guhyatama”—accessible through disciplined practice—implying that realization of the Self is not merely conceptual but attained by Īśvara-centered Yoga, where the aspirant reaches a divine, sovereign state (aiśvara).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes faithful observance (anutiṣṭhāna) of the esoteric discipline taught by Maheśa—i.e., a Pāśupata/Īśvara-oriented yoga grounded in renunciation, steadiness, and devotion to the Lord as the effective means to attain aiśvara-yoga.

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

Although spoken within a Vaiṣṇava Purāṇa framework, it credits Maheśa as the authoritative teacher of the secret yoga, reflecting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where Śiva’s yoga is affirmed as a valid Īśvara-path under the broader divine unity.