Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 26

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

Devanagari script

अतीते सूतके प्रोक्तं सपिण्डानां त्रिरात्रकम् / तथैव मरणे स्नानमूर्ध्वं संवत्सराद् यदि

Transliteration

atīte sūtake proktaṃ sapiṇḍānāṃ trirātrakam / tathaiva maraṇe snānamūrdhvaṃ saṃvatsarād yadi

Translation

إذا انقضت مدة نجاسة الولادة (سوتَكا sūtaka)، فلقرابة السَّپِنْدا (sapinda) تُشرَع مراعاةٌ لثلاث ليالٍ. وكذلك في حال الوفاة، إن تأخرت الشعائر الواجبة لأكثر من سنة، فالتطهير يكون أساسًا بالاغتسال بوصفه فعل التنقية الأوّل.

Word by Word

• atīte: when (it is) past/after
• atīte: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: atīta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √i-गत्यर्थः + अतीत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• sūtake: in the period of impurity (sūtaka)
• sūtake: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūtaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• proktam: is declared
• proktam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु) + prokta (कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थकं ‘said/declared’

• sapiṇḍānām: of the sapinda relatives
• sapiṇḍānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa-piṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/षष्ठी), बहुवचनम्; ‘सह पिण्डः’ इति तत्पुरुषः

• trirātrakam: a three-night (period)
• trirātrakam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri-rātra-ka (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; द्विगु-समासः (त्रीणि रात्राणि)

• tathā: thus/so
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः (emphatic particle)

• maraṇe: in (case of) death
• maraṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• snānam: bathing
• snānam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• ūrdhvam: afterwards
• ūrdhvam: Kāla (काल/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावप्राय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb) ‘afterwards/above’

• saṃvatsarāt: from a year (i.e., after a year)
• saṃvatsarāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃvatsara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (Ablative/पञ्चमी), एकवचनम्

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; शर्त-निपातः (conditional particle)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying dharma-teachings of the Kurma Purana tradition

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Sūtaka
• Sapiṇḍa
• Saṁvatsara
• Snāna

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily a dharma-vidhi on ritual purity (śauca) rather than a direct Atman teaching; indirectly, it supports the Kurma Purana’s broader aim that disciplined conduct and purification prepare the mind for higher knowledge and devotion.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific yogic technique is taught here; the practice emphasized is śauca through regulated observance (trirātra) and snāna, which functions as a preparatory discipline (aṅga) supportive of sādhanā in the Kurma Purana’s integrated Shaiva-Vaishnava framework.

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

The verse does not explicitly discuss Shiva–Vishnu unity; it contributes to the shared dharmic ground—ritual purity and right conduct—upon which the Purana later presents harmonized devotion and spiritual discipline.