Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 70

Dharma of Non-Injury, Non-Stealing, Purity, and Avoidance of Hypocrisy (Ācāra and Saṅkarya-Nivṛtti)

Devanagari script

अशुद्धः शयनं यानं स्वाध्यायं स्नानवाहनम् / बहिर्निष्क्रमणं चैव न कुर्वोत कथञ्चन

Transliteration

aśuddhaḥ śayanaṃ yānaṃ svādhyāyaṃ snānavāhanam / bahirniṣkramaṇaṃ caiva na kurvota kathañcana

Translation

Wenn man unrein ist, soll man unter keinen Umständen sich zum Schlafen hinlegen, reiten oder reisen, Svādhyāya (vedische Rezitation) ausüben, baden, ein Fahrzeug besteigen oder auch nur nach draußen gehen.

Word by Word

• aśuddhaḥ: (one who is) impure
• aśuddhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-śuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; निषेध-उपसर्गयुक्त विशेषण

• śayanam: lying down/sleeping
• śayanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śayana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• yānam: travel/vehicle-ride
• yānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• svādhyāyam: Vedic study/recitation
• svādhyāyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svādhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• snāna-vāhanam: bath-related conveyance/ride after bathing (lit. vehicle of bathing)
• snāna-vāhanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक) + vāhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (snānasya vāhanam), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• bahis: outside
• bahis: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bahis (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: outside)

• niṣkramaṇam: going out/exit
• niṣkramaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niṣkramaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

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

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphasis: indeed/just)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• kurvīta: should do
• kurvīta: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• kathañcana: in any manner (at all)
• kathañcana: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kathañcana (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-प्रयोगे सर्वथा-अर्थक-अव्यय (in any way/at all)

Speaker

Traditional dharma-instruction narrative voice (Purāṇic teaching as relayed by the sage-narrator)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames purity (śauca) as a prerequisite for disciplined living, which supports clarity of mind—an essential condition for Self-knowledge (ātma-jñāna) taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes preparatory discipline: avoiding svādhyāya and other acts while ritually impure. In Kurma Purana’s broader sādhanā logic (including Pāśupata-oriented teaching), śauca and regulated conduct stabilize the practitioner before mantra, recitation, and contemplative practice.

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

The verse itself is an ācāra (conduct) injunction and does not name Shiva or Vishnu; however, Kurma Purana’s synthesis treats such dharma-based purity as universally binding groundwork for devotion and yoga directed to the one Supreme (Hari-Hara) principle.