Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 33

Dāna-dharma: Types of Charity, Worthy Recipients, Vrata-Timings, and Śiva–Viṣṇu Propitiation

Devanagari script

एकादश्यां निराहारो द्वादश्यां पुरुषोत्तमम् / अर्चयेद् बाह्मणमुखे स गच्छेत् परमं पदम्

Transliteration

ekādaśyāṃ nirāhāro dvādaśyāṃ puruṣottamam / arcayed bāhmaṇamukhe sa gacchet paramaṃ padam

Translation

من صام في إكاداشي بلا طعام، ثم في دفاداشي عبد بوروشوتّما على لسان (بوصفه تجسيدًا حيًّا) براهمن، فإن ذلك الشخص يبلغ المقام الأعلى.

Word by Word

• एकादश्याम्: on the eleventh (lunar day)
• एकादश्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कालाधिकरण

• निराहारः: fasting (without food)
• निराहारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निराहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (one who is without food/fasting)

• द्वादश्याम्: on the twelfth (lunar day)
• द्वादश्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कालाधिकरण

• पुरुषोत्तमम्: Puruṣottama (the Supreme Person)
• पुरुषोत्तमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विष्णोः नाम (epithet/name)

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मण-मुखे: in the presence/through the mouth of a brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मण-मुखे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण (in/through the mouth/presence of a brāhmaṇa)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• गच्छेत्: would go/attain
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying padam)

• पदम्: abode/state
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing sages on vrata-dharma

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Puruṣottama
• Ekādaśī
• Dvādaśī
• Brāhmaṇa
• Parama Pada

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents liberation as reaching “paramaṃ padam,” the highest state attained by devotion and disciplined conduct—implying the Supreme Reality is approached through purity, restraint, and God-centered worship rather than mere ritualism.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The practice emphasized is vrata-yoga: fasting (indriya-nigraha/self-restraint) on Ekādaśī and devotional worship on Dvādaśī, integrating tapas (austerity) with bhakti (worship) and dāna (offering/feeding).

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

While explicitly Vaishnava in naming Puruṣottama, the method—seeing the divine in a brāhmaṇa and worshipping through ethical acts—fits the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis where devotion, austerity, and dharma function as shared pathways honored across Shaiva–Vaishnava frameworks.