Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 10

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

Devanagari script

सहस्रशो ऽथ शतशो ये चेश्वरबहिष्कृताः / न ते पश्यन्ति मामेकं योगिनो यतमानसाः

Transliteration

sahasraśo 'tha śataśo ye ceśvarabahiṣkṛtāḥ / na te paśyanti māmekaṃ yogino yatamānasāḥ

Translation

纵使有千百之众，凡被自在天（Īśvara）所摒弃或背离主宰者，亦不得见我——唯一之主。唯有心意调伏、精进用功之瑜伽行者，方能真实观见（我）。

Word by Word

• सहस्रशः: by thousands
• सहस्रशः: विशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण/adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner/number): “by thousands”

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्धसूचक (discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अनुक्रम/समुच्चयार्थक (then/and then)

• शतशः: by hundreds
• शतशः: विशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण/adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय: “by hundreds”

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्धसूचक (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• ईश्वर-बहिष्कृताः: excluded from the Lord
• ईश्वर-बहिष्कृताः: कर्ता-विशेषण (adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + बहिष्कृत (कृदन्त; √कृ (धातु) + बहिस्-उपसर्ग/प्रादि; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (निर्देश/सम्बन्ध: ईश्वरात् बहिष्कृताः = excluded from the Lord); कृदन्त-विशेषण, क्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: निषेध (negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• ते: they
• ते: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• पश्यन्ति: see
• पश्यन्ति: क्रिया (verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• एकम्: one (single)
• एकम्: कर्म-विशेषण (object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण (adjective), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘माम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणरूपेण (as qualifier: me as the One)

• योगिनः: yogins
• योगिनः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• यत-मानसाः: with controlled minds
• यत-मानसाः: कर्ता-विशेषण (adjectival to yogins/they)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यत (कृदन्त; √यम् (धातु) + क्त) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (यतं मानसं येषां ते); बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषणवत् प्रयोगः; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching within the Ishvara Gita

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Ishvara (the Lord)
• Yogins

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as “the One” (ekam) who is not grasped by mere numbers or social identity, but realized through inner vision—implying a non-dual, directly knowable Ishvara/Atman accessible via yogic realization.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The key emphasis is yatamānasāḥ—steadily striving with a restrained, disciplined mind. This points to sustained dhyāna (meditation), mental control, and single-pointed devotion/knowledge as the means to “see” Ishvara, aligning with the Ishvara Gita’s yogic soteriology.

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

By stressing the realization of the single “One Lord” through yoga rather than sectarian identity, the verse supports the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance where the supreme Ishvara is approached through shared yogic discipline, harmonizing Shaiva and Vaishnava devotion in a non-dual framework.