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Shloka 46

Aśauca-vidhi — Rules of Birth/Death Impurity, Sapinda Circles, and Śrāddha Sequence

असपिण्डं द्विजं प्रेतं विप्रो निर्हृत्य बन्धुवत् / अशित्वा च सहोषित्वा दशरात्रेण शुध्यति

asapiṇḍaṃ dvijaṃ pretaṃ vipro nirhṛtya bandhuvat / aśitvā ca sahoṣitvā daśarātreṇa śudhyati

Wenn ein Brahmane die Totenpflichten für einen verstorbenen Zweimalgeborenen erfüllt, der nicht zu seinem eigenen Sapinda‑Kreis gehört, ihn aber wie einen Verwandten behandelt, und mit den Beteiligten zusammen isst und zusammen verweilt, so wird er nach zehn Nächten rein.

असपिण्डम्a non-sapiṇḍa (not a close kinsman)
असपिण्डम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Roota-sapiṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक विशेषण (one who is not a sapiṇḍa)
द्विजम्a twice-born (Brahmin etc.)
द्विजम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootdvija (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
प्रेतम्a dead person/ghost (corpse-related)
प्रेतम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootpreta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
विप्रःa Brahmin
विप्रः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootvipra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन
निर्हृत्यhaving removed/carried out
निर्हृत्य:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Rootnir-√hṛ (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); उपसर्ग: निर्-; अर्थ: ‘having carried out/removed’
बन्धुवत्like a relative
बन्धुवत्:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootbandhu-vat (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय; -वत् प्रत्ययान्त (like/as); क्रियाविशेषणभाव
अशित्वाhaving eaten
अशित्वा:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Root√aś (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund); अर्थ: ‘having eaten’
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)
सहtogether/with
सह:
Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsaha (अव्यय)
Formसहकारक/सहभावबोधक अव्यय (with/together)
उषित्वाhaving stayed (there)
उषित्वा:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Root√vas (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund); धातोः ‘वस्’ (to dwell) से; रूप ‘उषित्वा’ (having stayed/dwelt)
दशरात्रेणby/after ten nights
दशरात्रेण:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootdaśa-rātra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष समास (daśa + rātra = ten nights)
शुध्यतिbecomes purified
शुध्यति:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√śudh (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Sūta (narrating traditional dharma rules to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya, within the Kurma Purana framework)

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

D
Dvija
V
Vipra
P
Preta
S
Sapinda
Ś
Śauca

FAQs

This verse is primarily dharma-oriented (śauca/āśauca) rather than metaphysical; indirectly, it reflects the Purāṇic view that inner purity and disciplined conduct support higher knowledge, but it does not directly define Ātman.

No specific yogic technique is taught here; the verse emphasizes ritual and social discipline (proper handling of death-contact and its purification period), which in the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis functions as a prerequisite for steadiness (śuddhi) supportive of sādhana.

It does not explicitly discuss Śiva–Viṣṇu unity; it belongs to the dharma section on funerary conduct, which the Kurma Purana integrates alongside its later devotional–yogic teachings.