Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 20

Iśvara on Māyā, the Unmanifest, and the Viśvarūpa of the One Supreme

Devanagari script

इत्येतदैश्वरं ज्ञानमुक्तं वो मुनिपुङ्गवाः / गोपनीयं विशेषेण योगिनामपि दुर्लभम्

Transliteration

ityetadaiśvaraṃ jñānamuktaṃ vo munipuṅgavāḥ / gopanīyaṃ viśeṣeṇa yogināmapi durlabham

Translation

如是，噢诸位最胜牟尼，此主宰的神圣智慧已为汝等宣说。尤当谨慎守护，因为它极难获得——即便对瑜伽行者亦然。

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha/Quotation marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• aiśvaram: divine/lordly
• aiśvaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aiśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with jñānam

• jñānam: knowledge
• jñānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• uktam: said/declared
• uktam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative, Singular; used predicatively: ‘has been said’

• vaḥ: to you/for you
• vaḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (युष्मद्), Dative/Genitive (चतुर्थी/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• munipuṅgavāḥ: O best of sages
• munipuṅgavāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni + puṅgava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘bulls among sages’

• gopanīyam: to be kept secret
• gopanīyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gopanīya (प्रातिपदिक; √gup anīyar)
• Form: Gerundive (अनीयर्/तव्यत्-भाव), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative, Singular; ‘so as to be kept secret’

• viśeṣeṇa: especially
• viśeṣeṇa: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental used adverbially (तृतीया-अर्थे क्रियाविशेषण), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन): ‘especially’

• yoginām: of yogins
• yoginām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात): ‘also/even’

• durlabham: hard to obtain
• durlabham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durlabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with (etad) jñānam

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing the sages (context of the Īśvara Gītā)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Ishvara
• Yogins
• Sages (Munis)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling the teaching “aiśvara-jñāna,” the verse frames liberation-knowledge as direct insight into Īśvara’s reality—an inner realization that is not merely intellectual and therefore remains rare and protected.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes eligibility and secrecy: this is a guhya-vidyā meant for disciplined practitioners. In the Īśvara Gītā context, it aligns with Pāśupata-oriented yoga—restraint, devotion to Īśvara, and inward contemplation—so that the teaching is realized, not just heard.

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

Although spoken by Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu), the verse presents “Īśvara” as the supreme object of yoga and knowledge, consistent with the Purāṇa’s synthesis where the one Lord is praised through both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva theological language.