Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 56

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

Devanagari script

अस्थिसंचयनादर्वागेकाहं क्षत्रवैश्ययोः / अन्यथा चैव सज्योतिर्ब्राह्मणे स्नानमेव तु

Transliteration

asthisaṃcayanādarvāgekāhaṃ kṣatravaiśyayoḥ / anyathā caiva sajyotirbrāhmaṇe snānameva tu

Translation

Vor dem Einsammeln der Knochen (nach der Verbrennung) beträgt die Unreinheitszeit für Kṣatriya und Vaiśya einen Tag. Für einen Brāhmaṇa hingegen tritt die Reinigung sogleich ein—durch das bloße Bad.

Word by Word

• अस्थि-संचयनात्: from the collection of bones
• अस्थि-संचयनात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + संचयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/ablative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अस्थ्नां संचयनम्)

• अर्वाक्: before, earlier than
• अर्वाक्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अर्वाक् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक/कालवाचक (adverb: before/earlier)

• एक-अहम्: one day
• एक-अहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + अहन्/अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/accusative), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (एकं अहः)

• क्षत्र-वैश्ययोः: of the Kshatriya and Vaishya
• क्षत्र-वैश्ययोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध/genitive), द्विवचन; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (क्षत्रियश्च वैश्यश्च)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: otherwise)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction: and)

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle: indeed/only)

• स-ज्योतिः: with a lamp/light
• स-ज्योतिः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘सह’) + ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समासः (ज्योतिषा सह)

• ब्राह्मणे: in/for a Brahmin (case)
• ब्राह्मणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण/locative), एकवचन

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/subject), एकवचन

• एव: only
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying the Kurma Purana’s dharma-vidhi on śauca/āśauca

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kṣatriya
• Vaiśya
• Brāhmaṇa
• Asthi-saṃcayana
• Snāna
• Āśauca

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily dharma-vidhi (ritual law) rather than ātma-tattva: it regulates external purity (śauca/āśauca) through time and bathing, not the metaphysics of the Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No explicit yoga practice is taught here; the emphasis is on purification through snāna and time-bound observance after asthi-saṃcayana, which supports ritual fitness for later mantra, worship, and sādhana.

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

It does not directly discuss Śiva–Viṣṇu unity; it reflects the Purana’s broader synthesis by upholding orthodox dharma procedures that frame both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva worship as requiring proper śauca.