Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 9

Saṃnyāsa-dharma — Qualifications, Threefold Renunciation, and the Conduct of the Yati

Devanagari script

त्रयाणामपि चैतेषां ज्ञानी त्वभ्यधिको मतः / न तस्य विद्यते कार्यं न लिङ्गं वा विपश्चितः

Transliteration

trayāṇāmapi caiteṣāṃ jñānī tvabhyadhiko mataḥ / na tasya vidyate kāryaṃ na liṅgaṃ vā vipaścitaḥ

Translation

即便在这三者之中，了知真理者（jñānin）亦被认为最为殊胜。对那位智者而言，已无必须完成的义务之业，亦无任何外相标记可供辨识。

Word by Word

• त्रयाणाम्: of the three
• त्रयाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन; numeral used substantively

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle (also/even)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/ conjunction

• एतेषाम्: of these
• एतेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• ज्ञानी: the knower
• ज्ञानी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘one who has knowledge’

• तु: however/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle (contrast/emphasis)

• अभ्यधिकः: superior
• अभ्यधिकः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of ज्ञानी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभ्यधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; comparative sense ‘superior’

• मतः: is considered
• मतः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicative: ‘is considered’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध/negation particle

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive—of him)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• विद्यते: exists
• विद्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘exists/is found’

• कार्यं: duty/obligation
• कार्यं: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of विद्यते)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘thing to be done/duty’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध/negation particle

• लिङ्गम्: external mark/insignia
• लिङ्गम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—elliptic with विद्यते)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘mark/sign (external insignia)’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प/ disjunctive particle (or)

• विपश्चितः: of the wise one
• विपश्चितः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपश्चित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘wise man’ (genitive with तस्य understood/appositional)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita stream

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• Ishvara Gita
• Jñānī

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies that realization (jñāna) culminates in freedom from compulsory action and external identity; the jñānī abides in the Self beyond doership, so no further ‘kārya’ remains for liberation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights Jñāna-Yoga as the culminating discipline—inner realization over outward observance—consistent with the Kurma Purana’s Ishvara Gita tone where meditation, discernment, and detachment mature into non-doership.

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

By prioritizing inner realization over sectarian ‘liṅga’ (outer badge), it supports the Kurma Purana’s synthetic stance: the highest truth transcends external identifiers, harmonizing Shaiva and Vaishnava orientations in a non-dual spiritual goal.