Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 24

Brahmacārin-Dharma: Guru-Sevā, Daily Vedic Study, Gāyatrī-Japa, and Anadhyāya Regulations

Devanagari script

गुरोरप्यवलिप्तस्य कार्याकार्यमजानतः / उत्पथप्रतिपन्नस्य मनुस्त्यागं समब्रवीत्

Transliteration

gurorapyavaliptasya kāryākāryamajānataḥ / utpathapratipannasya manustyāgaṃ samabravīt

Translation

Selbst ein Guru—wenn er hochmütig ist, nicht erkennt, was zu tun und was zu lassen ist, und auf einen Irrweg geraten ist—, für einen solchen Lehrer hat Manu die Lossagung vorgeschrieben.

Word by Word

• guroḥ: of the teacher
• guroḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (even/also)

• avaliptasya: of (one who is) arrogant/conceited
• avaliptasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avalipta (कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय, ava-√lip धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; विशेषण (गुरोः)

• kārya-akāryam: what should and should not be done
• kārya-akāryam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक) + akārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (कार्यं च अकार्यं च)

• ajānataḥ: of (one who is) not knowing
• ajānataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-jānat (कृदन्त; शतृ-प्रत्यय, √jñā धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present participle), नञ्-पूर्वक; विशेषण (गुरोः)

• utpatha-pratipannasya: of one who has taken to a wrong path
• utpatha-pratipannasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: utpatha (प्रातिपदिक) + pratipanna (कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय, prati-√pad धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; सप्तमी/द्वितीया-तत्पुरुषार्थः (उत्पथे प्रतिपन्नः/उत्पथं प्रतिपन्नः) विशेषण (गुरोः)

• manuḥ: Manu
• manuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• tyāgam: abandonment (of him)
• tyāgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tyāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• samabravīt: declared/said
• samabravīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-bru (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Kurma (Vishnu) instructing sages on dharma (guru-dharma within varṇāśrama discipline)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Manu

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it stresses dharmic discernment (kārya–akārya-viveka) as essential for right living; such discernment supports inner purification, which the Purana treats as a prerequisite for realizing the Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights the prerequisite of a qualified guide for yoga-sādhanā: one must not follow a teacher who is proud, deluded about right conduct, or deviates from the true path—since such guidance obstructs disciplined practice (yama-niyama, tapas, and steadiness of mind).

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

By grounding authority in dharma rather than sectarian identity: the Kurma Purana’s synthesis values right conduct and true path (sat-mārga) over mere status, aligning Shaiva–Vaishnava teaching with a shared ethical and yogic standard.