Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 31

Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas: Liquor, Theft, Sexual Transgression, Contact with the Fallen, and Homicide

Devanagari script

मातृगोत्रां समासाद्य समानप्रवरां तथा / चाद्रायणेन शुध्येत प्रयतात्मा समाहितः

Transliteration

mātṛgotrāṃ samāsādya samānapravarāṃ tathā / cādrāyaṇena śudhyeta prayatātmā samāhitaḥ

Translation

মাতৃৰ গোত্ৰৰ বা সমান প্ৰবৰৰ নাৰীৰ সৈতে সম্পৰ্ক স্থাপন কৰিলে, সংযত আৰু একাগ্ৰ হৈ 'চান্দ্ৰায়ণ' ব্ৰতৰ দ্বাৰা নিজকে শুদ্ধ কৰিব লাগে।

Word by Word

• मातृ-गोत्राम्: a woman of the mother’s gotra
• मातृ-गोत्राम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + गोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मातुः गोत्रा)

• समासाद्य: having approached/consorted with
• समासाद्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; उपसर्ग: सम्+आ

• समान-प्रवराम्: having the same pravara
• समान-प्रवराम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समान (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (समानः प्रवरः यस्याः सा)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• आद्रायणेन: by the ādrāyaṇa (cāndrāyaṇa-type) rite
• आद्रायणेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आद्रायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• शुध्येत: should be purified
• शुध्येत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम

• प्रयत-आत्मा: one whose self is disciplined
• प्रयत-आत्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (प्रयतः आत्मा यस्य सः)

• समाहितः: composed/collected
• समाहितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपसर्ग: सम्+आ

Speaker

Sūta (traditional narrator) relaying dharma-instructions of the Purāṇic sages

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Āndrāyaṇa
• gotra
• pravara
• prāyaścitta

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It does so indirectly: purification is framed as an inner discipline—being prayatātmā (self-restrained) and samāhita (collected)—implying that ethical order and mental composure are prerequisites for clarity of the Self in Kurma Purana’s dharma-yoga vision.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes yogic self-regulation rather than posture or mantra: restraint (prayatātmā) and concentration (samāhitaḥ). The Āndrāyaṇa vow functions as a tapas-based practice aligning conduct, diet, and mind—supporting the Purāṇa’s broader ethic of purification as a foundation for higher sādhanā.

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

This particular verse is primarily dharma-legal (prāyaścitta) and does not directly discuss Shiva–Vishnu unity; however, its stress on tapas and purification is consistent with the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis where disciplined conduct supports devotion and realization across sectarian forms.