Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 27

Prayāga–Gaṅgā Tīrtha-māhātmya and Rules of Pilgrimage

Yātrā-vidhi

Devanagari script

अथं संध्यावटे रम्ये ब्रह्मचारी जितेन्द्रियः / नरः शुचिरुपासीत ब्रह्मलोकमवाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

athaṃ saṃdhyāvaṭe ramye brahmacārī jitendriyaḥ / naraḥ śucirupāsīta brahmalokamavāpnuyāt

Translation

Dann soll am schönen Sandhyā-Banyan (Sandhyā-vaṭa) ein Mann, der Brahmacarya übt, die Sinne bezwungen hat und rein ist, Verehrung darbringen; dadurch kann er Brahmaloka, die Welt Brahmās, erlangen.

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; discourse particle = 'then/now'

• संध्यावटे: at Sandhyā-vaṭa
• संध्यावटे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्या + वट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (अधिकरण), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः = 'at the Sandhyā banyan (place)'

• रम्ये: beautiful
• रम्ये: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; agrees with वटे

• ब्रह्मचारी: a brahmacārin (celibate student)
• ब्रह्मचारी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + चारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः = 'one who practices brahman (celibate student)'

• जितेन्द्रियः: self-controlled (having conquered the senses)
• जितेन्द्रियः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (जि धातोः) 'conquered'; बहुव्रीहिः = 'he whose senses are conquered'

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; apposition to ब्रह्मचारी

• शुचिः: pure
• शुचिः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; adjective to नरः

• उपासीत: should worship/attend upon
• उपासीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + आस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• ब्रह्मलोकम्: Brahma-loka
• ब्रह्मलोकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (कर्म), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः = 'Brahmā’s world'

• अवाप्नुयात्: would attain
• अवाप्नुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the sages on dharma and sacred observances

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahmaloka
• Sandhya (twilight rite)
• Brahmacharya

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes inner purification and mastery of the senses as prerequisites for higher realization; the verse frames spiritual ascent (Brahmaloka) as the fruit of disciplined worship rather than mere ritualism.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights foundational yogic disciplines—indriya-jaya (sense-control), śauca (purity), and brahmacarya—integrated with upāsanā (devotional worship) performed at sandhyā time, aligning practice with both Yoga-shāstra and dharma.

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

Though not explicit here, the Kurma Purana’s synthesis is reflected in the shared yogic-dharmic framework: disciplined upāsanā and self-control are presented as universally efficacious means, consistent with Shaiva-Vaishnava harmony in the text.