Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 10

Dharma of Non-Injury, Non-Stealing, Purity, and Avoidance of Hypocrisy (Ācāra and Saṅkarya-Nivṛtti)

Devanagari script

तिलमुद्गयवादीनां मुष्टिर्ग्राह्या पथि स्थितैः / क्षुधार्तैर्नान्यथा विप्रा धर्मविद्भिरिति स्थितिः

Transliteration

tilamudgayavādīnāṃ muṣṭirgrāhyā pathi sthitaiḥ / kṣudhārtairnānyathā viprā dharmavidbhiriti sthitiḥ

Translation

إذا ابتُلي المسافرون بالجوع في الطريق جاز لهم أن يأخذوا قبضةً واحدة من السمسم والمُدْغا (الماش الأخضر) والشعير وما شابه—ولا يزيدوا. تلك هي القاعدة المقرَّرة، يا معشر البراهمة، كما يعرفها العارفون بالدارما.

Word by Word

• तिलमुद्गयवादीनाम्: of sesame, mung, barley, etc.
• तिलमुद्गयवादीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल + मुद्ग + यव + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व (तिल-मुद्ग-यव-आदि), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-समूहवाचक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• मुष्टिः: a handful
• मुष्टिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ग्राह्या: should be taken
• ग्राह्या: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्/तव्यत्-अर्थे ‘to be taken’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to मुष्टिः)

• पथि: on the road
• पथि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• स्थितैः: by those who are staying/being on (the road)
• स्थितैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थित (प्रातिपदिक; √स्था क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), बहुवचन; विशेषण (to implied ‘by those’)

• क्षुधार्तैः: by the hunger-stricken
• क्षुधार्तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधा + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (क्षुधया आर्त), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (to स्थितैः)

• न: not
• न: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• विप्राः: O Brahmins
• विप्राः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे (vocative sense)

• धर्मविद्भिः: by knowers of dharma
• धर्मविद्भिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + विद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (धर्मं वेत्ति), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• स्थितिः: the rule; established practice
• स्थितिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the dharma-teaching as preserved by the sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Dharma

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it teaches restraint (niyama) and non-greed, disciplines that purify the mind and make it fit for realizing the Self, though the verse itself is a practical dharma rule.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It reflects aparigraha (non-hoarding) and moderation—ethical foundations aligned with yogic yamas/niyamas, preparing the practitioner for higher contemplative practice emphasized more explicitly in the Kurma Purana’s later teachings.

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

It does not directly discuss Shiva–Vishnu unity; it focuses on universal dharma. In the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis, such dharma-restraint supports the same spiritual goal upheld across Shaiva and Vaishnava frames.