Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

अब्दं चरेत नियतो वनवासी समाहितः / प्राजापत्यं सान्तपनं तप्तकृच्छ्रं तु वा स्वयम्

Transliteration

abdaṃ careta niyato vanavāsī samāhitaḥ / prājāpatyaṃ sāntapanaṃ taptakṛcchraṃ tu vā svayam

Translation

নিয়মিত আৰু সংযমী হৈ, বনবাসী আৰু একাগ্ৰচিত্তে এক বছৰ ব্ৰত পালন কৰিব লাগে; অথবা নিজে প্ৰাজাপত্য, সান্তপন বা তপ্তকৃচ্ছ্ৰ প্ৰায়শ্চিত্ত কৰিব লাগে।

Word by Word

• अब्दम्: a year
• अब्दम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; accusative singular neuter

• चरेत: should practice/undertake
• चरेत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada

• नियतः: disciplined, restrained
• नियतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular masculine

• वनवासी: a forest-dweller
• वनवासी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular masculine; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वनस्य वासी)

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

• प्राजापत्यम्: the Prājāpatya penance
• प्राजापत्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राजापत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular neuter

• सान्तपनम्: the Sāntapana penance
• सान्तपनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सान्तपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular neuter

• तप्तकृच्छ्रम्: the ‘heated’ Kṛcchra penance
• तप्तकृच्छ्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तप्त + कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular neuter; कर्मधारय (तप्तं कृच्छ्रम्)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle (emphasis/contrast)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• स्वयम्: oneself
• स्वयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb (self/oneself)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating traditional dharma/prāyaścitta instructions as transmitted by the sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Prajapati

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes purification through restraint and concentrated living, preparing the mind for Self-knowledge (ātma-jñāna) that the Kurma Purana later frames within an Ishvara-centered (Śiva–Viṣṇu non-opposed) vision.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights niyama (regulated discipline) and samādhāna/samāhita-citta (collected mind) supported by tapas—forest-dwelling and formal kṛcchra-type austerities—as preparatory limbs that stabilize the practitioner for higher contemplation.

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

Not by naming them directly, but by presenting tapas and purification as universal dharma: the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis treats such disciplines as compatible with both Śaiva (Pāśupata) and Vaiṣṇava devotion, culminating in Ishvara-oriented realization rather than sectarian opposition.