Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 7

The True Liṅga as Formless Brahman — Self-Luminous Īśa and the Yoga of Liberation

Devanagari script

ये ऽप्यनेकं प्रपश्यन्ति ते ऽपि पश्यन्ति तत्परम् / आश्रिताः परमां निष्ठां बुद्ध्वैकं तत्त्वमव्ययम्

Transliteration

ye 'pyanekaṃ prapaśyanti te 'pi paśyanti tatparam / āśritāḥ paramāṃ niṣṭhāṃ buddhvaikaṃ tattvamavyayam

Translation

即使见到种种差别者，也仍能观见那至上实相。依止最高的坚定，了悟唯一不坏的真理原则。

Word by Word

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) बहुवचनम्; सम्बन्धि-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (also/even)

• अनेकम्: many (as plurality)
• अनेकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचनम्; कर्मपद

• प्रपश्यन्ति: they perceive/see
• प्रपश्यन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present) परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd) बहुवचनम्

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) बहुवचनम्; अन्वादेश (correlative pronoun)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); समुच्चय (also)

• पश्यन्ति: they see
• पश्यन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present) परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd) बहुवचनम्

• तत्-परम्: the supreme (that highest)
• तत्-परम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• आश्रिताः: having taken refuge
• आश्रिताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ√श्रि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) बहुवचनम्

• परमाम्: supreme
• परमाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• निष्ठाम्: steadfastness/firm devotion
• निष्ठाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचनम्

• बुद्ध्वा: having understood
• बुद्ध्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √बुध् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया (having known)

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• तत्त्वम्: reality/principle
• तत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचनम्

• अव्ययम्: imperishable
• अव्ययम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing Indradyumna within the Ishvara Gita discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• Ishvara (Supreme Lord)
• Tattva (Supreme Principle)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It teaches that even when one initially experiences the world as many, true insight culminates in seeing the single, imperishable Reality (ekaṃ tattvam avyayam) as the ultimate ground of all appearances.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes niṣṭhā—firm, sustained abiding in the highest discipline—suggesting steady contemplative absorption and unwavering orientation to the Supreme (tatparam), through which the one Tattva is realized.

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

By focusing on a single Supreme Principle beyond multiplicity, it supports the Kurma Purana’s synthetic theology: the highest Ishvara is one Reality, approached through different names and forms associated with both Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions.