Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 99

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

Devanagari script

यद्यनुत्पन्नविज्ञानो विरक्तः प्रीतिसंयुतः / यावज्जीवं जपेद् युक्तः प्रणवं ब्रह्मणो वपुः

Transliteration

yadyanutpannavijñāno viraktaḥ prītisaṃyutaḥ / yāvajjīvaṃ japed yuktaḥ praṇavaṃ brahmaṇo vapuḥ

Translation

纵使真知尚未生起，若能离染而怀爱敬之心者，当以调御专注，尽其一生持诵“普罗那瓦”（Oṁ）——此即梵（Brahman）之具身。

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle: if)

• अनुत्पन्न-विज्ञानः: one whose knowledge has not arisen
• अनुत्पन्न-विज्ञानः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्पन्न (कृदन्त; √पद्/√पन्? here √पद्/√पन् not; standard: उत्पन्न from √पद्/√पन् not used; better: √पद् not; treat as उत्पन्न from √पद्?; lexical: उत्पन्न from √पद्/√पन् not reliable) + विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः: यस्य विज्ञानम् अनुत्पन्नम् (whose knowledge has not arisen)

• विरक्तः: detached
• विरक्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; वि+√रञ्ज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; भूतकृदन्त-विशेषण

• प्रीति-संयुतः: endowed with devotion/affection
• प्रीति-संयुतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; सम्+√युज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः: प्रीत्या संयुतः (endowed with love/devotion)

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-वाचक-अव्यय (as long as)

• जीवम्: throughout life
• जीवम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगवत् क्रियाविशेषण (accusative used adverbially): ‘for life/throughout life’

• जपेत्: one should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• युक्तः: disciplined, intent
• युक्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √युज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; भूतकृदन्त-विशेषण (disciplined/engaged)

• प्रणवम्: the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahman
• ब्रह्मणः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• वपुः: form/body
• वपुः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; (apposition to प्रणवम्: ‘[which is] the body/form’)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Praṇava (Om)
• Brahman

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents Oṁ (Praṇava) as “the body/form of Brahman,” implying that meditating on Oṁ is direct contemplation of the Absolute reality that the Atman realizes.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Lifelong praṇava-japa performed with yukti (yogic integration/concentration), supported by vairāgya (detachment) and prīti (devotional love)—a hallmark blend of discipline and devotion in the Ishvara Gita.

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

By centering on Brahman and praṇava-japa rather than sectarian identity, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s non-dual, synthesizing stance where supreme reality is approached through shared yogic-devotional means.