Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 60

Prāyaścitta for Theft, Forbidden Foods, Impurity, and Ritual Lapses; Tīrtha–Vrata Remedies; Pativratā Mahātmyam via Sītā and Agni

Devanagari script

नीलं रक्तं वसित्वा च ब्राह्मणो वस्त्रमेव हि / अहोरात्रोषितः स्नातः पञ्चगव्येन शुद्ध्यति

Transliteration

nīlaṃ raktaṃ vasitvā ca brāhmaṇo vastrameva hi / ahorātroṣitaḥ snātaḥ pañcagavyena śuddhyati

Translation

যদি কোনো ব্রাহ্মণ নীল বা লাল বস্ত্র পরিধান করে, তবে তিনি এক দিন-রাত্রি নিয়মে অবস্থান করে, স্নান করে, পঞ্চগব্য দ্বারা শুদ্ধ হন।

Word by Word

• nīlam: blue (garment)
• nīlam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• raktam: red (garment)
• raktam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• vasitvā: having worn
• vasitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (वस्, धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having done earlier)

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

• brāhmaṇaḥ: a Brahmin
• brāhmaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• vastram: garment
• vastram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (for indeed)

• ahorātra-uṣitaḥ: having stayed (there) for a day and night
• ahorātra-uṣitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ahorātra (प्रातिपदिक) + uṣita (√vas/√uṣ, धातु; क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अहोरात्रे उषितः = having stayed for a day and night); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle used adjectivally)

• snātaḥ: bathed
• snātaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √snā (स्ना, धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of brāhmaṇaḥ)

• pañcagavyena: with pañcagavya (five cow-products)
• pañcagavyena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañcagavya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (पञ्च + गव्य); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• śuddhyati: becomes purified
• śuddhyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śudh (शुध्, धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद/परस्मैपद-प्रयोगः: परस्मैपद (śuddhyati)

Speaker

Traditional Purāṇic narrator (dharma-instruction context, as part of Kurma Purana’s discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Pañcagavya

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse does not directly teach ātma-tattva; it focuses on ritual purity (śauca) and prāyaścitta as supports for a disciplined dharmic life that, in the Purāṇic framework, prepares the aspirant for higher spiritual instruction.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No formal yogic technique is taught here; the discipline is ethical-ritual: observing restraint for a full day and night (ahorātra) and bathing, along with pañcagavya, as a cleansing rite that supports steadiness (niyama) and regulated conduct.

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

The verse is primarily dharma-ritual in scope and does not explicitly address Śiva–Viṣṇu unity; in the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis, such purity disciplines are shared foundations for both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava modes of worship.