Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 25

Aśauca-vidhi — Rules of Birth/Death Impurity, Sapinda Circles, and Śrāddha Sequence

Devanagari script

देशान्तरगतं श्रुत्वा सूतकं शावमेव तु / तावदप्रयतो मर्त्यो यावच्छेषः समाप्यते

Transliteration

deśāntaragataṃ śrutvā sūtakaṃ śāvameva tu / tāvadaprayato martyo yāvaccheṣaḥ samāpyate

Translation

إذا سمع المرء أن في بلدٍ بعيد قد وقع سُوتَكَة (sūtaka) أو شَاوَكَة (śāvaka: عدم طهارة بسبب الوفاة)، فإنه يبقى أَبْرَيَتَه (aprayata: غير صالحٍ طقوسياً) بقدر ما تبقّى من المدة حتى تكتمل.

Word by Word

• देशान्तरगतम्: gone to another country/place (i.e., occurring elsewhere)
• देशान्तरगतम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देशान्तरगत (प्रातिपदिक; देशान्तर + गत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) used adjectivally; qualifying sūtakaṃ/śāvam

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/क्त्वा), अव्ययभाव; 'having heard'

• सूतकम्: the sūtaka impurity
• सूतकम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; accusative singular

• शावम्: the death-impurity (śāva)
• शावम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; accusative singular; 'death-impurity'

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

• तु: but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषणार्थक-अव्यय (adversative/emphatic particle)

• तावत्: so long
• तावत्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-वाचक-अव्यय (till that extent)

• अप्रयतः: not restrained/impure (not observant)
• अप्रयतः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रयत (प्रातिपदिक; a- + प्रयत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; nominative singular; qualifying martyaḥ

• मर्त्यः: a man
• मर्त्यः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; nominative singular

• यावत्: until
• यावत्: सम्बन्ध (Correlative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: यावत्-तावत् समुच्चय; अवधिवाचक-अव्यय (until)

• शेषः: the remainder (of the period)
• शेषः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; nominative singular

• समाप्यते: is completed
• समाप्यते: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense): 'is completed'

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying dharma-instructions as taught in the Kurma Purana’s discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Sūtaka
• Śāvaka
• Dharma
• Āśauca

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It does not directly teach ātma-tattva; it regulates external āśauca (ritual impurity) so that dharma and worship can be resumed in an orderly way once the prescribed period ends.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific yogic technique is taught; the verse supports discipline (niyama) by clarifying when one is fit to return to japa, pūjā, and other sādhana after hearing of birth/death impurity at a distance.

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

It is a dharma-rule verse rather than a sectarian statement; it reflects the Purana’s synthesis by emphasizing shared Vedic-smārta purity norms that apply across Shiva and Vishnu worship once āśauca is completed.