Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 95

Daily Duties of Brāhmaṇas: Snāna, Sandhyā, Sūrya-hṛdaya, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and the Pañca-mahāyajñas

Devanagari script

निवेदयेत स्वात्मानं विष्णावमलतेजसि / तदात्मा तन्मनाः शान्तस्तद्विष्णोरिति मन्त्रतः

Transliteration

nivedayeta svātmānaṃ viṣṇāvamalatejasi / tadātmā tanmanāḥ śāntastadviṣṇoriti mantrataḥ

Translation

当将自身奉献归入毗湿奴——其光明清净无垢。令身与意融摄于彼而得寂静，并以真言“tad viṣṇoḥ”而行之，即“此归于毗湿奴”。

Word by Word

• निवेदयेत: should offer/surrender
• निवेदयेत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-विद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• स्व-आत्मानम्: one’s own self
• स्व-आत्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (descriptive: ‘one’s own self’); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विष्णौ: in/unto Viṣṇu
• विष्णौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अमल-तेजसि: in (him of) pure splendor
• अमल-तेजसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमल (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘pure radiance’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषणार्थे अधिकरण

• तत्-आत्मा: having that as one’s self
• तत्-आत्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘having that as self/whose self is that’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

• तत्-मनाः: with mind fixed on that
• तत्-मनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘whose mind is on that’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

• शान्तः: peaceful
• शान्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक; √शम् + क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle sense ‘calmed’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

• तत्-विष्णोः: ‘of that Viṣṇu’
• तत्-विष्णोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्धरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मन्त्रपद-उद्धरण: तत् (नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन) + विष्णोः (षष्ठी एकवचन)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणसूचक-अव्यय

• मन्त्रतः: according to the mantra
• मन्त्रतः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb: ‘from/according to the mantra’)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing spiritual practice to the inquiring sages (Kurma Purana dialogue frame).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It teaches that the individual self is to be offered into the stainless divine reality (Vishnu), implying an inward identification (tadātmā) where the limited ego is relinquished and the self is understood as belonging to the Supreme.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

A mantra-guided dhyāna-bhakti practice: surrendering the self (ātma-nivedana), fixing mind and identity on the deity (tanmanāḥ, tadātmā), cultivating tranquility (śānti), and repeating the dedicatory mantra “tad viṣṇoḥ” as a method of absorption.

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

Though Vishnu is named explicitly, the method reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthetic spirituality: the same inner surrender, mantra, and absorption taught in Shaiva-Pashupata discipline is here framed in Vaishnava language, pointing to a shared non-dual contemplative aim.