Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 128

Devanagari script

अध्येतव्यमिदं नित्यं विप्रैः पर्वणि पर्वणि / श्रोतव्यं च द्विजश्रेष्ठा महापातकनाशनम्

Transliteration

adhyetavyamidaṃ nityaṃ vipraiḥ parvaṇi parvaṇi / śrotavyaṃ ca dvijaśreṣṭhā mahāpātakanāśanam

Translation

ينبغي للبراهمة أن يداوموا على دراسة هذا التعليم المقدّس في كل يوم من أيام الشعائر، وأن يُصغى إليه أيضًا، يا خيرَ ذوي الولادتين؛ لأنه مُبيدٌ للكبائر العظام.

Word by Word

• अध्येतव्यम्: to be studied
• अध्येतव्यम्: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-इ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/future passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always, regularly
• नित्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)

• विप्रैः: by the Brahmins
• विप्रैः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental) बहुवचन

• पर्वणि: on a sacred occasion/festival day
• पर्वणि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative) एकवचन

• पर्वणि: on each and every festival
• पर्वणि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (iteration)

• श्रोतव्यम्: to be heard/listened to
• श्रोतव्यम्: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विधेय

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्विजानां श्रेष्ठाः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे प्रयोग (vocative-sense address)

• महापातकनाशनम्: destroyer of great sins
• महापातकनाशनम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पातक (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महापातकस्य नाशनम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; इदम्/एतत् इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying the Purāṇic injunction in the Kurma Purana’s discourse frame

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Dvija (Twice-born)
• Parvan (sacred observance day)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it teaches that purification and right understanding arise through disciplined śravaṇa (hearing) and svādhyāya (study) of sacred revelation, which is a traditional doorway to realizing the Self beyond sin and merit.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes śravaṇa (listening) and svādhyāya (scriptural study/recitation) as steady disciplines—supports to inner purification that complement Kurma Purana’s broader Yoga-shāstra orientation (including Pāśupata-inflected devotion and restraint).

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

By framing Purāṇic study and hearing as universally purifying, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s synthetic approach: devotion and discipline directed to Īśvara are upheld as efficacious regardless of sectarian emphasis, harmonizing Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava streams.