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Shloka 39

Rules of Food, Acceptance, and Purity for the Twice-Born

Dvija-Śauca and Anna-Doṣa

प्रोक्षितं भक्षयेदेषां मांसं च द्विजकाम्यया / यथाविधि नियुक्तं च प्राणानामपि चात्यये

prokṣitaṃ bhakṣayedeṣāṃ māṃsaṃ ca dvijakāmyayā / yathāvidhi niyuktaṃ ca prāṇānāmapi cātyaye

Wenn ihr Fleisch rituell besprengt (prokṣita) und dadurch tauglich gemacht wurde, darf man es essen, wenn der Wunsch besteht, die Bedürfnisse der Zweimalgeborenen zu erfüllen; und wenn es ordnungsgemäß nach der Vorschrift geboten ist—sogar in einer Notlage, in der das Leben selbst auf dem Spiel steht.

प्रोक्षितम्sprinkled (ritually)
प्रोक्षितम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्र-उक्ष् (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘sprinkled/purified (with water)’
भक्षयेत्should eat
भक्षयेत्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootभक्ष् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
एषाम्of these
एषाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-विभक्ति (genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम
मांसम्meat
मांसम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमांस (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय
द्विज-काम्ययाfor the sake of (a) Brahmin’s desire
द्विज-काम्यया:
Hetu/Instrument (हेतु/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/हेतु), एकवचन; तृतीया-हेतौ—‘द्विजस्य काम्यया’ (for the desire/pleasure of a Brahmin)
यथा-विधिaccording to the prescribed rule
यथा-विधि:
Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभाव-समासः; क्रियाविशेषणम् (according to rule)
नियुक्तम्enjoined
नियुक्तम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootनि-युज् (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘enjoined/appointed’ (object understood: meat/eating)
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय
प्राणानाम्of lives
प्राणानाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootप्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
अपिeven/also
अपि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (inclusive particle)
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय
अत्ययेin an emergency
अत्यये:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootअत्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘in extremity/at the time of danger’

Traditional narration context: a senior sage instructing on dharma (within the Kurma Purana’s didactic discourse)

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

FAQs

This verse does not directly define Atman; it frames dharma in practical terms—showing that right action is guided by rule (vidhi) and context (āpada), which supports inner steadiness required for higher knowledge.

No explicit yogic technique is stated; the verse emphasizes ethical discipline and situational dharma (especially in emergencies), which functions as the moral groundwork for Yoga and for the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva-Vaishnava spiritual synthesis.

It does not name Shiva or Vishnu directly; its teaching aligns with the Purana’s integrative approach by grounding spiritual life in dharmic regulation—purity, injunction, and compassionate pragmatism in crisis—shared across Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions.