Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 120

Daily Duties of Brāhmaṇas: Snāna, Sandhyā, Sūrya-hṛdaya, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and the Pañca-mahāyajñas

Devanagari script

यो मोहादथवालस्यादकृत्वा देवतार्चनम् / भुङ्क्ते स याति नरकान् शूकरेष्वभिजायते

Transliteration

yo mohādathavālasyādakṛtvā devatārcanam / bhuṅkte sa yāti narakān śūkareṣvabhijāyate

Translation

Wer aus Verblendung oder Trägheit isst, ohne zuvor die Gottheit zu verehren, der geht in die Höllen und wird unter Schweinen wiedergeboren.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• मोहात्: from delusion/out of delusion
• मोहात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/हेतु), एकवचन

• अथवा: or
• अथवा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• आलस्यात्: from laziness/out of laziness
• आलस्यात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आलस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/हेतु), एकवचन

• अकृत्वा: without having done
• अकृत्वा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ + कृत्वा (कृदन्त; √कृ)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), नञ्-पूर्वक

• देवता-अर्चनम्: worship of the deity/deities
• देवता-अर्चनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (देवतायाः अर्चनम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• भुङ्क्ते: eats
• भुङ्क्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• नरकान्: to hells
• नरकान्: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (गति/कर्म), बहुवचन

• शूकरेषु: among pigs
• शूकरेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• अभिजायते: is born (again)
• अभिजायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing on dharma and daily rites

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Devatā (the worship-worthy deity)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes that ordinary acts like eating become spiritually binding when done in delusion; aligning action with worship purifies karma and supports Self-knowledge by reducing tamas and heedlessness.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights disciplined nitya-karma—sanctifying food through devatā-arcana—as a preparatory purity practice (śauca, niyama) that supports higher Yoga, including the Kurma Purana’s integrated Shaiva-Vaishnava sādhanā.

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

By using the broad term “devatā-arcana,” it frames worship as a unifying dharmic principle rather than sectarian rivalry—consistent with the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis where devotion and discipline are shared foundations.