Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 85

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

Devanagari script

अवगूर्य चरेत् कृच्छ्रमतिकृच्छ्रं निपातने / कृच्छ्रातिकृच्छ्रौ कुर्वोत विप्रस्योत्पाद्य शोणितम्

Transliteration

avagūrya caret kṛcchramatikṛcchraṃ nipātane / kṛcchrātikṛcchrau kurvota viprasyotpādya śoṇitam

Translation

যদি ব্রাহ্মণহত্যা ঘটে, তবে কৃচ্ছ্র ও অতীকৃচ্ছ্র প্রায়শ্চিত্ত পালন করতে হবে; আর যদি ব্রাহ্মণের রক্তপাত ঘটানো হয়, তবে কৃচ্ছ্র-অতীকৃচ্ছ্র উভয়ই করতে হবে।

Word by Word

• अवगूर्य: having concealed/covered
• अवगूर्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अवगूर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), from धातु अवगूर्; ‘having concealed/covered’

• चरेत्: should perform/practice
• चरेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• कृच्छ्रम्: the kṛcchra penance
• कृच्छ्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन

• अतिकृच्छ्रम्: the atikṛcchra penance
• अतिकृच्छ्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति + कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक-तत्पुरुष (अति- ‘excessive’ + कृच्छ्र)

• निपातने: in the act of causing a fall/downfall
• निपातने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निपातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (or Masculine usage), सप्तमी (Locative, 7th), एकवचन; ‘in/at the act of causing to fall/bringing down’

• कृच्छ्रातिकृच्छ्रौ: (both) kṛcchra and atikṛcchra
• कृच्छ्रातिकृच्छ्रौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र + अतिकृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास; पुंलिङ्ग (collective) / द्विवचन (Dual), द्वितीया (Accusative) or प्रथमा (Nominative) dual by context; here as object with ‘कुर्वोत’ → द्वितीया द्विवचन

• कुर्वोत: you (all) should do/perform
• कुर्वोत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद; वैदिक/पौराणिक रूप ‘कुर्वोत’ = ‘कुरुत’

• विप्रस्य: of a brāhmaṇa
• विप्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन

• उत्पाद्य: having produced/caused
• उत्पाद्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + पद्/पाद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund); ‘having produced/caused to arise’

• शोणितम्: blood
• शोणितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोणित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrating traditional dharma teachings to the sages, within the Purāṇic frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Kṛcchra
• Ati-kṛcchra
• Prāyaścitta

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes moral purification (prāyaścitta) as a prerequisite for inner clarity, which later supports self-knowledge (ātma-jñāna) taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights tapas (austerity) through Kṛcchra/Ati-kṛcchra vows—disciplinary practices that purify conduct and mind, forming an ethical base compatible with Pāśupata-oriented restraint and purification.

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

Not explicitly; it reflects the shared Purāṇic dharma framework that underlies the Kurma Purana’s broader Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava synthesis, where ethical purification supports devotion and yoga regardless of the deity-form emphasized.