Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 19

Dharma of Non-Injury, Non-Stealing, Purity, and Avoidance of Hypocrisy (Ācāra and Saṅkarya-Nivṛtti)

Devanagari script

गोभिश्च दैवतैर्विप्रैः कृष्या राजोपसेवया / कुलान्यकुलतां यान्ति यानि हीनानि धर्मतः

Transliteration

gobhiśca daivatairvipraiḥ kṛṣyā rājopasevayā / kulānyakulatāṃ yānti yāni hīnāni dharmataḥ

Translation

গোপালন, দেবসেবা (যজ্ঞাদি), ব্রাহ্মণসঙ্গ, কৃষিকর্ম ও রাজসেবা—এসবের দ্বারা ধর্মে হীন কুলও মর্যাদা হারিয়ে ‘অকুল’ (লোকনিন্দিত) অবস্থায় পতিত হয়।

Word by Word

• गोभिः: by/with cows
• गोभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दैवतैः: by/with deities
• दैवतैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• विप्रैः: by/with brahmins
• विप्रैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• कृष्या: by agriculture
• कृष्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• राजोपसेवया: by service to the king
• राजोपसेवया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् + उपसेवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (राज्ञः उपसेवा)

• कुलानि: families/lineages
• कुलानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• अकुलताम्: to non-lineage/degeneracy
• अकुलताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकुलता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• यान्ति: go/come to
• यान्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• यानि: which
• यानि: Visheshya (विशेष्य/relative subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धे (relative pronoun)

• हीनानि: deprived/deficient
• हीनानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of यानि/कुलानि)

• धर्मतः: from/according to dharma
• धर्मतः: Hetu/Adhikarana (हेतु/अधिकरण-भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): 'from/according to dharma'

Speaker

Narratorial puranic voice (instructional discourse on varnashrama-dharma within the Kurma Purana)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Brahmins (Vipra)
• Deities (Daivata)
• King (Raja)
• Kula (lineage)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames dharma as the necessary outer discipline that stabilizes society and the individual, which in the Kurma Purana supports inner purification needed for Self-knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No explicit meditation is taught in this verse; it emphasizes ethical and occupational purity (dharma-shuddhi) as preparatory ground that, in the Kurma Purana’s broader yoga framework, precedes higher yogic practice such as Pashupata-oriented restraint and devotion.

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

It does not mention Shiva or Vishnu directly; it reflects the Purana’s integrative stance by prioritizing dharma as a shared foundation for both Shaiva and Vaishnava paths leading toward liberation.