Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 42

Śrāddha-Kāla-Nirṇaya: Proper Times, Nakṣatra Fruits, Tīrtha Merit, and Offerings for Ancestral Rites

Devanagari script

दशमासांस्तु तृप्यन्ति वराहमहिषामिषैः / शशकूर्मर्योर्मांसेन मासानेकादशैव तु

Transliteration

daśamāsāṃstu tṛpyanti varāhamahiṣāmiṣaiḥ / śaśakūrmaryormāṃsena māsānekādaśaiva tu

Translation

بلحم الخنزير البريّ والجاموس يرضى الآباءُ (Pitṛ) عشرةَ أشهر؛ أمّا بلحم الأرنب والسلحفاة فيرضى الآباءُ أحدَ عشرَ شهرًا حقًّا.

Word by Word

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याशब्दः; अत्र द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थे (मासान्)

• मासान्: months
• मासान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle)

• तृप्यन्ति: are satisfied
• तृप्यन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तृप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• वराहमहिषामिषैः: with boar- and buffalo-meat
• वराहमहिषामिषैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वराह-महिष-आमिष (प्रातिपदिक; वराह + महिष + आमिष)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (वराहस्य आमिषं च महिषस्य आमिषं च)

• शशकूर्मर्योः: of the hare and the tortoise
• शशकूर्मर्योः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शश-कूर्म (प्रातिपदिक; शश + कूर्म)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व (शशस्य च कूर्मस्य च)

• मांसेन: with meat
• मांसेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• मासान्: months
• मासान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• एकादश: eleven
• एकादश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (द्विगु-समास: एक + दश); अत्र द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थे (मासान्)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (indeed/only)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोध-अव्यय (particle)

Speaker

Traditional narrator voice within the Purāṇic discourse on śrāddha (likely transmitted by a sage to the inquirer within the Kurma Purana frame narrative)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Śrāddha
• Tarpana

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse does not teach Ātman-doctrine directly; it focuses on pitṛ-tṛpti (ancestral satisfaction) through śrāddha offerings, framing dharma as a concrete, time-linked ritual obligation rather than a metaphysical exposition.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No explicit yoga practice is described here; the verse belongs to the dharma-śāstra layer of the Kurma Purana, emphasizing disciplined ritual performance (śrāddha/tarpana) as part of householders’ dharma, which can support purity and steadiness conducive to later sādhana.

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

The verse is neutral on Shiva–Vishnu theology; it contributes to the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis indirectly by grounding spiritual life in Varnāśrama duties, within which both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva traditions situate ancestral rites as dharmic practice.