Kurma Purana 2.13.31 — Uttara Bhaga, Adhyaya 13, Shloka 31

Ācamana-vidhi, Śauca, and Conduct Rules for Study, Eating, and Bodily Functions

Devanagari script

तैजसं वै समादाय यद्युच्छिष्टो भवेद् द्विजः / भूमौ निक्षिप्य तद् द्रव्यमाचम्याभ्युक्षयेत् तु तत्

Transliteration

taijasaṃ vai samādāya yadyucchiṣṭo bhaved dvijaḥ / bhūmau nikṣipya tad dravyamācamyābhyukṣayet tu tat

Translation

إذا تلوّث الدِّوِجَا (المولود مرتين) بملاقاة بقايا الطعام (أوتشِّشْتَه ucchiṣṭa)، فليأخذ نارًا (أو جمرة)، وليضع تلك المادة على الأرض، وليؤدِّ الآتشامانا، ثم ليرشّ عليها الماء لتطهيرها.

Word by Word

• तैजसम्: a fiery/metallic (heated) thing
• तैजसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तैजस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (Neuter Acc. Sg.)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• समादाय: having taken
• समादाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund), ‘having taken up’

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional conjunction: if)

• उच्छिष्टः: impure (from leftover/contamination)
• उच्छिष्टः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्छिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचन (Masculine Nom. Sg.), विशेषण

• भवेत्: should become/be
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg.)

• द्विजः: a twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचन (Masculine Nom. Sg.)

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचन (Feminine Loc. Sg.)

• निक्षिप्य: having put down
• निक्षिप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (Neuter Acc. Sg.)

• द्रव्यम्: object/substance
• द्रव्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (Neuter Acc. Sg.)

• आचम्य: having performed ācamana
• आचम्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund)

• अभ्युक्षयेत्: should sprinkle
• अभ्युक्षयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + उक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg.)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• तत्: it
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (Neuter Acc. Sg.)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating traditional dharma-instructions of the Kūrma Purāṇa to the sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Dvija
• Ācamana
• Ucchiṣṭa
• Śauca (purity)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes śauca (purity) as a prerequisite discipline—outer order supporting inner clarity—by which a seeker becomes fit for higher knowledge of Ātman taught elsewhere in the Kūrma Purāṇa.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Not a meditation technique, but a yogic support-practice: ācamana and purification after ucchiṣṭa-doṣa. Such niyama-like observances stabilize daily conduct, which the text links to eligibility for mantra, worship, and higher yogic instruction.

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

It does so implicitly through shared dharma: the same purity disciplines are upheld across Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava worship frameworks in the Kūrma Purāṇa, supporting its synthetic approach where right conduct prepares one for devotion and yoga regardless of sectarian form.