Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 117

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

Devanagari script

मूर्खं वा पण्डितं वापि ब्राह्मणं वा मदाश्रयम् / मोचयामि श्वपाकं वा न नारायणनिन्दकम्

Transliteration

mūrkhaṃ vā paṇḍitaṃ vāpi brāhmaṇaṃ vā madāśrayam / mocayāmi śvapākaṃ vā na nārāyaṇanindakam

Translation

无论愚者或智者，乃至归依于我的婆罗门，我皆赐予解脱；即便是煮狗者（贱民）我亦能救度，但诋毁那罗延者则不然。

Word by Word

• मूर्खम्: a fool
• मूर्खम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्प-निपात) ‘or’

• पण्डितम्: a learned man
• पण्डितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण्डित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्प-निपात)

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) ‘also/even’

• ब्राह्मणम्: a brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्प-निपात)

• मत्-आश्रयम्: taking refuge in me
• मत्-आश्रयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; adjective qualifying the preceding objects; compound: मम आश्रयः (genitive tatpuruṣa) ‘one who has taken refuge in me’

• मोचयामि: I liberate/release
• मोचयामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु) [णिच् causative: मोचय-]
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Uttama-puruṣa (1st person), Ekavacana; Parasmaipada; causative meaning ‘I cause to be released’

• श्वपाकम्: a dog-cooker (outcaste)
• श्वपाकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वपाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्प-निपात)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• नारायणनिन्दकम्: a reviler of Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणनिन्दकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण + निन्दक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; compound: नारायणस्य निन्दकः (genitive tatpuruṣa) ‘one who reviles Nārāyaṇa’

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narayana

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It frames liberation as dependent on refuge in the Supreme Lord (Īśvara/Nārāyaṇa) rather than external status; the obstacle is not birth or learning but antagonism toward the Supreme Reality.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The practice emphasized is śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) as a decisive limb of devotion-based discipline; it aligns with the Ishvara Gita’s yoga of surrender and reverence, where inner orientation to Īśvara outweighs mere ritual or social identity.

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

By centering liberation on devotion to Īśvara identified as Nārāyaṇa, it supports the Purāṇa’s synthesis: the Supreme is approached through steadfast reverence (not sectarian reviling), a stance consistent with Shaiva–Vaishnava non-hostility taught in the Ishvara Gita.