Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 118

Invocation, Purāṇa Lakṣaṇas, Kurma at the Samudra-manthana, and Indradyumna’s Liberation Teaching

Iśvara-Gītā Prelude

Devanagari script

तस्मात् सर्वप्रयत्नेन वर्णाश्रमविधौ स्थितः / समाश्रित्यान्तिमं भावं मायां लक्ष्मीं तरेद् बुधः

Transliteration

tasmāt sarvaprayatnena varṇāśramavidhau sthitaḥ / samāśrityāntimaṃ bhāvaṃ māyāṃ lakṣmīṃ tared budhaḥ

Translation

因此，当以一切努力安住于种姓与住期（varṇa、āśrama）的法度；智者依止于最终（至高）的证悟境界，便能超越幻力（Māyā），乃至超越吉祥天女拉克希米（Lakṣmī）所表的富贵与世间成就。

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तस्मात् = ‘therefore/from that’), हेत्वर्थ-निपात

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

• वर्णाश्रमविधौ: in the ordinance of varṇa and āśrama
• वर्णाश्रमविधौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण-आश्रम-विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (वर्णाश्रमस्य विधिः)

• स्थितः: being established
• स्थितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘स्थितः’ = abiding/established

• समाश्रित्य: having resorted to
• समाश्रित्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• अन्तिमम्: final
• अन्तिमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• भावम्: state/attitude
• भावम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• मायाम्: illusion/māyā
• मायाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• लक्ष्मीम्: Lakṣmī
• लक्ष्मीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• तरेत्: should cross over
• तरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• बुधः: the wise person
• बुधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) teaching in the Īśvara-gītā context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Kūrma
• Māyā
• Lakṣmī
• Varnāśrama-dharma

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies that liberation comes from abiding in the “final” liberating realization (antima-bhāva), by which one transcends Māyā—suggesting the Self is beyond changing appearances and worldly measures of success.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes disciplined living through varṇāśrama (ethical and ritual order) as the stabilizing basis, coupled with taking refuge in the highest contemplative orientation (antima-bhāva)—a typical Īśvara-gītā move from Dharma to inner realization aligned with Pāśupata-style renunciation of attachment.

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

By teaching transcendence of Māyā through the highest state while affirming dharma, it reflects the Purāṇa’s integrative theology: the same supreme Lord (spoken here as Kūrma/Vishnu) teaches a liberation framework consonant with Śaiva-Pāśupata ideals of detachment and final realization.