Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 85

Śrāddha-vidhi for Pitṛs: Invitations, Purity, Offerings, and Conduct

Devanagari script

तस्मात् सर्वप्रयत्नेन श्राद्धं कुर्याद् द्विजोत्तमः / आराधितो भवेदीशस्तेन सम्यक् सनातनः

Transliteration

tasmāt sarvaprayatnena śrāddhaṃ kuryād dvijottamaḥ / ārādhito bhavedīśastena samyak sanātanaḥ

Translation

فلذلك ينبغي لأفضلِ ذوي الميلادين أن يُقيم الشرادها بكلِّ جهدٍ؛ فبها يُعبَدُ الإلهُ الأزليّ «إيشا» (Īśa) عبادةً صحيحة، فيرضى رضًا تامًّا.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Reason (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग (ablatival adverbial): तस्मात् = ‘therefore/from that reason’

• सर्व-प्रयत्नेन: with every effort
• सर्व-प्रयत्नेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (with all effort)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विज-उत्तमः: the best of the twice-born
• द्विज-उत्तमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थ (best among the twice-born)

• आराधितः: is worshipped/propitiated
• आराधितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-राध् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भवेत्: would be / becomes
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ईशः: the Lord
• ईशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तेन: thereby
• तेन: Hetu/Karana (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण/हेतु (by that/thereby)

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

• सनातनः: eternal
• सनातनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with ईशः)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating Vyāsa’s Purāṇic teaching to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Īśa
• Sanātana
• Dvija
• Śrāddha

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents Īśa (the Eternal Lord) as the ultimate recipient of correctly performed dharmic action: even ancestral rites, when done with faith and propriety, culminate in worship of the Supreme.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Rather than a seated yogic technique, the verse highlights karma-yoga through Varnāśrama duty—Śrāddha performed with full effort and right method—as a disciplined spiritual practice that purifies and directs devotion toward Īśvara.

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

By using the universal title Īśa/Sanātana for the Lord pleased by Śrāddha, it supports the Purāṇa’s synthetic theology: the Supreme Lord worshipped through dharma can be understood in a non-sectarian way consistent with Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava unity.