Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 8

Yati-Āśrama: Bhikṣā-vidhi, Īśvara-dhyāna, and Prāyaścitta

Mahādeva as Non-dual Brahman

Devanagari script

हुत्वा प्राणाहुतीः पञ्च ग्रासानष्टौ समाहितः / आचम्य देवं ब्रह्माणं ध्यायीत परमेश्वरम्

Transliteration

hutvā prāṇāhutīḥ pañca grāsānaṣṭau samāhitaḥ / ācamya devaṃ brahmāṇaṃ dhyāyīta parameśvaram

Translation

পাঁচ প্রাণাহুতি অর্পণ করে, একাগ্রচিত্তে আট গ্রাস ভোজন করবে; তারপর আচমন করে দেবস্বরূপ ব্রহ্ম—পরমেশ্বরকে ধ্যান করবে।

Word by Word

• hutvā: having offered (as oblation)
• hutvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया; धातु: हु (जुहोत्यादि)

• prāṇa-āhutīḥ: breath-offerings
• prāṇa-āhutīḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + आहुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: प्राणानां आहुतयः

• pañca: five
• pañca: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-विशेषण; द्वितीया बहुवचनार्थे (agreeing with आहुतयः)

• grāsān: mouthfuls
• grāsān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• aṣṭau: eight
• aṣṭau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनार्थे (agreeing with ग्रासान)

• samāhitaḥ: composed, concentrated
• samāhitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘समाहित’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘composed/collected’

• ācamya: having sipped (water)
• ācamya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund); धातु: आचम्

• devam: the god
• devam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• brahmāṇam: Brahmā
• brahmāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘ब्रह्मा’ (चतुर्मुख) अर्थे

• dhyāyīta: should meditate upon
• dhyāyīta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• parameśvaram: the Supreme Lord
• parameśvaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: परमः ईश्वरः

Speaker

Kurma Purana narrator (Vyasa/Sūta tradition) prescribing a ritual-yogic procedure

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Parameśvara
• Brahman
• Prāṇa

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It directs meditation on Parameśvara identified with Brahman, implying the highest reality is the divine Absolute—beyond mere ritual—accessible through inner contemplation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It presents a ritual-to-yoga sequence: prāṇāhuti (inner offering to the vital breaths), measured eating with mindfulness, ācamana for purity, and then dhyāna on Īśvara—typical of Kurma Purana’s disciplined, Pāśupata-leaning praxis.

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

By using the universal title Parameśvara and equating the worshipped Lord with Brahman, it supports the Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where the Supreme is one, expressed through Shaiva-Vaishnava theological language.