Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

अपां समीपे नियतो नैत्यकं विधिमाश्रितः / गायत्रीमप्यधीयीत गत्वारण्यं समाहितः

Transliteration

apāṃ samīpe niyato naityakaṃ vidhimāśritaḥ / gāyatrīmapyadhīyīta gatvāraṇyaṃ samāhitaḥ

Translation

على المرء، منضبطًا ضابطًا لنفسه، أن يُقيم الفرض اليومي وفق القاعدة قرب الماء؛ ثم إذا مضى إلى موضعٍ في الغابة بقلبٍ مجموع، فليتْلُ وليدرس أيضًا الغاياتري.

Word by Word

• अपाम्: of waters
• अपाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• समीपे: near
• समीपे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण (location)

• नियतः: disciplined
• नियतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणं (of the practitioner)

• नैत्यकम्: daily
• नैत्यकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नैत्यक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘विधिम्’ (daily/regular)

• विधिम्: the rite/procedure
• विधिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आश्रितः: having resorted to
• आश्रितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘आश्रित’ = आश्रयित/अनुष्ठित (having resorted to)

• गायत्रीम्: the Gāyatrī (mantra)
• गायत्रीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थ (also/even)

• अधीयीत: should study/recite
• अधीयीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-इ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया (having gone)

• अरण्यम्: to the forest
• अरण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; गत्यर्थे कर्म (goal as object)

• समाहितः: composed/concentrated
• समाहितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘समाहित’ = एकाग्रचित्त (collected/concentrated)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing on dharma and discipline

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Gayatri
• Apah (waters)
• Aranya (forest)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By prescribing disciplined nitya-karma and focused Gāyatrī recitation, the verse points to inner purification and one-pointedness—prerequisites for recognizing the Self beyond ritual, where mantra and restraint steady the mind toward Atman-realization.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes niyama (discipline), performance of nitya-karma (especially sandhyā-related conduct implied by “near water”), and Gāyatrī japa/adhyayana in a secluded setting (araṇya) with samāhita-citta (collected attention), aligning with mantra-yoga and preparatory sādhana.

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

While not naming Śiva explicitly, the instruction reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: Vaiṣṇava authority (Lord Kūrma) endorses Vedic mantra-discipline and meditative restraint valued across Śaiva-Pāśupata and Vaiṣṇava paths, presenting dharma and yoga as shared means to the one Supreme.