Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 79

Prāyaścitta for Theft, Forbidden Foods, Impurity, and Ritual Lapses; Tīrtha–Vrata Remedies; Pativratā Mahātmyam via Sītā and Agni

Devanagari script

कृत्वा तु शपथं विप्रो विप्रस्य वधसंयुतम् / मृषैव यावकान्नेन कुर्याच्चान्द्रायणं व्रतम्

Transliteration

kṛtvā tu śapathaṃ vipro viprasya vadhasaṃyutam / mṛṣaiva yāvakānnena kuryāccāndrāyaṇaṃ vratam

Translation

إذا أقسمَ براهمنٌ قَسَمًا يتصل بقتلِ براهمن، ثم نطق بالكذب، فعليه أن يؤدي نذر الكفّارة «تشاندرايانا» (Cāndrāyaṇa)، مقتاتًا بطعام «يافاكا» (غذاء قائم على الشعير).

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having made/taken
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having done/made’

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधानार्थक

• शपथम्: an oath
• शपथम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शपथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• विप्रः: a Brahmin
• विप्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• विप्रस्य: of a Brahmin
• विप्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• वध-संयुतम्: involving killing (murder-related)
• वध-संयुतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वध (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘वधेन संयुतम्’ (connected with killing)

• मृषा: falsely
• मृषा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मृषा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; मिथ्यार्थक (falsely)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (only/indeed)

• यावक-अन्नेन: with barley-food
• यावक-अन्नेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यावक (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘यावकं अन्नम्’ (barley-food)

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

• चान्द्रायणम्: the Cāndrāyaṇa penance
• चान्द्रायणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चान्द्रायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• व्रतम्: vow/observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; चान्द्रायणस्य विशेष्य (appositional)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating traditional dharma/prāyaścitta teachings to the sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahmin (Vipra)
• Cāndrāyaṇa Vrata

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it reinforces that dharma (truthfulness and restraint in speech) is a prerequisite for inner purity—without which realization of the Self is obstructed; ethical discipline functions as the ground for higher yoga and jñāna.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights tapas as a yogic support: Cāndrāyaṇa (austerity regulated by lunar measure) and controlled diet (yāvaka) purify speech and intention, aligning with the Kurma Purana’s broader emphasis on self-restraint as a limb of sādhana.

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

Not explicitly; yet the Kurma Purana’s synthesis frames such prāyaścitta as universally dharmic—supporting the same inner purification sought in both Śaiva (Pāśupata) and Vaiṣṇava paths leading toward one Supreme reality.