Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

Prayāga-māhātmya and Ṛṇa-pramocana-tīrtha — Māgha-snāna, Austerities, and Release from Debts

Devanagari script

यः स्वदेहं विकर्तेद् वा शकुनिभ्यः प्रयच्छति / विहगैरुपभुक्तस्य शृणु तस्यापि यत्फलम्

Transliteration

yaḥ svadehaṃ vikarted vā śakunibhyaḥ prayacchati / vihagairupabhuktasya śṛṇu tasyāpi yatphalam

Translation

Wer seinen eigenen Leib zerschneidet und ihn den Vögeln darbringt—höre nun die Frucht des Verdienstes, die selbst dem zuteilwird, dessen Fleisch von geflügelten Wesen verzehrt wurde.

Word by Word

• yaḥ: he who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• sva-deham: his own body
• sva-deham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘own’), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• vi-kartet: would cut/mutilate
• vi-kartet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√kṛt (धातु)
• Form: Verb (तिङन्त), Optative/Potential (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/alternative particle (विकल्पार्थक अव्यय)

• śakunibhyaḥ: to the birds
• śakunibhyaḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakuni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Plural (बहुवचन)

• prayacchati: gives/offer
• prayacchati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√yam (धातु)
• Form: Verb (तिङन्त), Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• vihagaiḥ: by birds
• vihagaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vihaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• upabhuktasya: of what has been eaten
• upabhuktasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa√bhuj (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past Passive Participle (क्त/कृत), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine/Neuter agreement by context; ‘of (one) that has been eaten/enjoyed’

• śṛṇu: hear
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: Verb (तिङन्त), Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• tasya: of that (person/act)
• tasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (समुच्चय/अपि = ‘also/even’)

• yat-phalam: what result
• yat-phalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (सम्बन्ध: ‘which-result’), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Narrator-teacher voice within a dharma discourse (Kurma Purana didactic narrator, traditionally mediated by Sūta/Śaunaka setting)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Śakuni (birds)
• Vihaga (winged creatures)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it treats the body as an offerable, impermanent instrument, implying the enduring self is distinct from bodily form—an outlook consistent with the Purana’s broader liberation-oriented dharma.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is taught in this line; it supports Yoga indirectly by emphasizing vairāgya (detachment) and dharmic intention, which the Kurma Purana treats as prerequisites for higher discipline such as Pāśupata-oriented devotion and contemplation.

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

This verse is ethical rather than sectarian; in the Kurma Purana’s synthesis, such dharma-based teachings function as a shared foundation for both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava paths leading toward the same supreme reality.