Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 40

Rules of Food, Acceptance, and Purity for the Twice-Born

Dvija-Śauca and Anna-Doṣa

Devanagari script

भक्षयेन्नैव मांसानि शेषभोजी न लिप्यते / औषधार्थमशक्तौ वा नियोगाद् यज्ञकारणात्

Transliteration

bhakṣayennaiva māṃsāni śeṣabhojī na lipyate / auṣadhārthamaśaktau vā niyogād yajñakāraṇāt

Translation

لا ينبغي أكلُ اللحم أصلًا. غير أن من لا يأكل إلا الباقي (شِيشَه) بعد الشعيرة أو القربان لا يتلطّخ؛ وكذلك إذا أُخذ لضرورةٍ دوائية، أو في حال العجز، أو إذا فُرِض بأمرٍ (نِيُوغَا) لأجل سببِ يَجْنَا (القربان).

Word by Word

• भक्षयेत्: should eat
• भक्षयेत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• एव: at all/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• मांसानि: meats
• मांसानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• शेष-भोजी: one who eats the remainder (after offering)
• शेष-भोजी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘शेषस्य भोजी’ (one who eats leftovers)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• लिप्यते: is tainted
• लिप्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः (gets tainted/is smeared)

• औषध-अर्थम्: for medicine
• औषध-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: औषध (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; क्रियाविशेषणम्—‘औषधार्थम्’ (for medicinal purpose)

• अशक्तौ: in inability
• अशक्तौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘in inability/when unable’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• नियोगात्: from injunction
• नियोगात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/हेतु), एकवचन; ‘due to injunction/command’

• यज्ञ-कारणात्: for sacrificial reason
• यज्ञ-कारणात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (हेतु), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘यज्ञस्य कारणम्’ (for the sake of sacrifice)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing sages on dharma and discipline

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Kūrma
• Vishnu
• Yajña
• Dharma
• Varnāśrama

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames purity as freedom from karmic taint (lipyate). The teaching supports inner clarity for realizing the Self by minimizing actions that bind, while allowing limited, rule-bound exceptions that do not produce the same bondage.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes yama-like discipline (restraint and purity) through regulated diet and intention. Such āhāra-niyama supports steadiness of mind, a prerequisite for meditative absorption taught in the Kurma Purana’s broader yoga-dharma context.

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

By grounding ethics in yajña and śāstric niyoga rather than sectarian identity, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance: the same dharma framework underlies both Shaiva and Vaishnava spiritual paths.