Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 24

Brahmacārin-Dharma: Guru-Sevā, Daily Vedic Study, Gāyatrī-Japa, and Anadhyāya Regulations

Devanagari script

गुरोरप्यवलिप्तस्य कार्याकार्यमजानतः / उत्पथप्रतिपन्नस्य मनुस्त्यागं समब्रवीत्

Transliteration

gurorapyavaliptasya kāryākāryamajānataḥ / utpathapratipannasya manustyāgaṃ samabravīt

Translation

حتى الغورو—إن كان متكبّرًا، لا يميّز ما ينبغي وما لا ينبغي، وقد سلك طريق الضلال—فقد قرّر مانو أن يُترك مثل هذا المعلّم ويُنبذ.

Word by Word

• guroḥ: of the teacher
• guroḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (even/also)

• avaliptasya: of (one who is) arrogant/conceited
• avaliptasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avalipta (कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय, ava-√lip धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; विशेषण (गुरोः)

• kārya-akāryam: what should and should not be done
• kārya-akāryam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक) + akārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (कार्यं च अकार्यं च)

• ajānataḥ: of (one who is) not knowing
• ajānataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-jānat (कृदन्त; शतृ-प्रत्यय, √jñā धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present participle), नञ्-पूर्वक; विशेषण (गुरोः)

• utpatha-pratipannasya: of one who has taken to a wrong path
• utpatha-pratipannasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: utpatha (प्रातिपदिक) + pratipanna (कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय, prati-√pad धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; सप्तमी/द्वितीया-तत्पुरुषार्थः (उत्पथे प्रतिपन्नः/उत्पथं प्रतिपन्नः) विशेषण (गुरोः)

• manuḥ: Manu
• manuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• tyāgam: abandonment (of him)
• tyāgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tyāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• samabravīt: declared/said
• samabravīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-bru (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Kurma (Vishnu) instructing sages on dharma (guru-dharma within varṇāśrama discipline)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Manu

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it stresses dharmic discernment (kārya–akārya-viveka) as essential for right living; such discernment supports inner purification, which the Purana treats as a prerequisite for realizing the Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights the prerequisite of a qualified guide for yoga-sādhanā: one must not follow a teacher who is proud, deluded about right conduct, or deviates from the true path—since such guidance obstructs disciplined practice (yama-niyama, tapas, and steadiness of mind).

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

By grounding authority in dharma rather than sectarian identity: the Kurma Purana’s synthesis values right conduct and true path (sat-mārga) over mere status, aligning Shaiva–Vaishnava teaching with a shared ethical and yogic standard.