Shloka 28

Īśvara-gītā: Bhakti as the Supreme Means; the Three Śaktis; Non-compelled Lordship

Devanagari script

नाहं प्रेरयिता विप्राः परमं योगमाश्रितः / प्रेरयामि जगत्कृत्स्नमेतद्यो वेद सो ऽमृतः

Transliteration

nāhaṃ prerayitā viprāḥ paramaṃ yogamāśritaḥ / prerayāmi jagatkṛtsnametadyo veda so 'mṛtaḥ

Translation

婆罗门诸圣者啊，我安住于至上瑜伽，并非受迫而为的行动者；相反，是我推动此整个宇宙。真正知此者，得成不死（甘露之境）。

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

• prerayitā: impeller/one who causes (to act)
• prerayitā: Predicate Noun (कर्ता-सम्बन्धी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prerayitṛ (प्रातिपदिक; √īr/ईर् ‘to impel’ का णिच् causative + तृच् agent noun)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; कर्तृवाचक (agent noun)

• viprāḥ: O brāhmaṇas
• viprāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधनार्थे (addressing) — here used as vocative sense

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• yogam: yoga
• yogam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• āśritaḥ: having resorted to
• āśritaḥ: Predicate/Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āśrita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; ā-√śri/श्रि ‘to resort’ का क्त)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

• prerayāmi: I impel/cause (to act)
• prerayāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√īr/ईर् (प्रेरणे) (णिच् causative implied)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• jagat-kṛtsnam: the whole world
• jagat-kṛtsnam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛtsna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; कर्मधारयः: ‘the entire world’

• etat: this (fact)
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; संकेत (this)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बन्धबोधक

• veda: knows
• veda: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (विद् ‘to know’)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• amṛtaḥ: immortal
• amṛtaḥ: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative adjective)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• Brahmana sages (viprah)
• Yoga

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as transcendent and yogically established, not a conditioned doer, yet functioning as the inner impeller of the cosmos; realizing this Lord-principle leads to immortality (amṛtatva).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes parama-yoga—abidance in the highest contemplative state where agency is purified; from that standpoint the Lord is known as the inner director (antaryāmin), a key contemplative insight aligned with the Kurma Purana’s Yoga-shastra orientation.

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

By stressing one Supreme reality that transcends ordinary doership yet governs all, it supports the Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the same highest Lord is taught across Shaiva and Vaishnava idioms as the inner ruler and source of liberation.