Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 14

Tīrtha-māhātmya and Rudra’s Samanvaya Teaching

Maṅkaṇaka Episode

Devanagari script

तस्मात् सर्वप्रयत्नेन ब्राह्मणस्तु विशेषतः / प्रदद्याद् विधिवत् पिण्डान् गयां गत्वा समाहितः

Transliteration

tasmāt sarvaprayatnena brāhmaṇastu viśeṣataḥ / pradadyād vidhivat piṇḍān gayāṃ gatvā samāhitaḥ

Translation

لذلك، وبكل جهدٍ ممكن—وخاصةً البراهمن—إذا قصد غايا (Gayā) وجمع قلبه وسكن باطنه، فليُقَدِّم قُرابينَ البيṇḍa (كرات الأرزّ للآباء) على الوجه الطقسي الصحيح.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु/cause marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: तस्मात्-इत्यव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण हेत्वर्थे (ablative used adverbially: ‘therefore/from that reason’)

• सर्व-प्रयत्नेन: with all effort
• सर्व-प्रयत्नेन: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + prayatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd case/instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सर्वः प्रयत्नः यस्य/सर्वप्रयत्नः; here: ‘with all effort’)

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेष/विरोधार्थक-निपात

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘especially’)

• प्रदद्याद्: should offer/give
• प्रदद्याद्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√dā (धातु: दा ‘to give’)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विधिवत्: according to the prescribed rite
• विधिवत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; वत्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘according to rule’)

• पिण्डान्: rice-balls (funeral offerings)
• पिण्डान्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• गयाम्: to/at Gayā
• गयाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/goal-place)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gayā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/preceding action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: gam (धातु: गम् ‘to go’) → gatvā (कृदन्त; त्वा-प्रत्यय, absolutive)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having gone’

• समाहितः: composed, attentive
• समाहितः: Visheshana (विशेषण of ब्राह्मणः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-√dhā (धातु: धा ‘to place’) → samāhita (कृदन्त; past participle ‘collected/composed’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing on tīrtha-dharma and śrāddha observances

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Gayā
• Brāhmaṇa
• Piṇḍa
• Śrāddha

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes samādhāna (mental collectedness) while performing dharma; the inner discipline points to the Purāṇic view that outward rites bear fruit when aligned with a purified, steady mind oriented toward the higher Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Samāhitaḥ indicates focused composure—akin to dhāraṇā-like steadiness—applied to ritual action, showing the Kurma Purana’s integration of disciplined mind (yoga) with karmic observances such as śrāddha at tīrthas.

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

This verse is primarily about śrāddha at Gayā; within the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis, it exemplifies shared dharma (tīrtha and rite) upheld under the divine order, rather than sectarian separation.