Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

रेचकः पूरकश्चैव प्राणायामो ऽथ कुम्भकः / प्रोच्यते सर्वशास्त्रेषु योगिभिर्यतमानसैः

Transliteration

recakaḥ pūrakaścaiva prāṇāyāmo 'tha kumbhakaḥ / procyate sarvaśāstreṣu yogibhiryatamānasaiḥ

Translation

呼气为 recaka，吸气为 pūraka，继而屏息为 kumbhaka——诸经皆称此为调息（prāṇāyāma），乃心志严整、勤修之瑜伽行者所宣说。

Word by Word

• रेचकः: exhalation (recaka)
• रेचकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• पूरकः: inhalation (pūraka)
• पूरकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; अवधारणार्थक-निपातः (emphatic particle)

• प्राणायामः: prāṇāyāma
• प्राणायामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणायाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• अथ: then/and also
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; अनन्तरार्थक/प्रस्तावार्थक (sequencing particle ‘then/now’)

• कुम्भकः: retention (kumbhaka)
• कुम्भकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• प्रोच्यते: is declared/taught
• प्रोच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, present), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive)

• सर्व-शास्त्रेषु: in all treatises
• सर्व-शास्त्रेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः—कर्मधारयः ‘सर्वाणि शास्त्राणि’

• योगिभिः: by yogins
• योगिभिः: Kartr-karana (कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• यत-मानसैः: with disciplined minds
• यत-मानसैः: Kartr-karana (कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); विशेषणम् योगिभिः प्रति; समासः—तत्पुरुषः ‘यतं (नियतम्) मनः येषाम्’

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing within the Ishvara Gita discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Pranayama
• Recaka
• Puraka
• Kumbhaka
• Yogins

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by defining prāṇāyāma as a disciplined method taught by mastered yogins, the verse points to mind-restraint as a prerequisite for inward realization—where the Self is known when the fluctuations supported by breath and mind are steadied.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights prāṇāyāma as a threefold practice—recaka (exhalation), pūraka (inhalation), and kumbhaka (retention)—presented as the standard yogic definition across śāstras and integral to the Kurma Purana’s Pashupata-oriented yogic discipline.

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

Though not naming them explicitly, the teaching comes from Lord Kurma while using yoga-shastra categories central to Shaiva (including Pashupata) traditions—reflecting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where Vishnu instructs practices honored across Shaiva-Vaishnava lineages.