Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

दशाहं निर्गुणे प्रोक्तमशौचं चातिनिर्गुणे / एकद्वित्रिगुणैर्युक्तं चतुस्त्र्येकदिनैः शुचिः

Transliteration

daśāhaṃ nirguṇe proktamaśaucaṃ cātinirguṇe / ekadvitriguṇairyuktaṃ catustryekadinaiḥ śuciḥ

Translation

Für den sogenannten „nirguṇa“ (ohne die vorgeschriebenen Eigenschaften) wird die Dauer des aśauca als zehn Tage erklärt; und für den „ati-nirguṇa“ ebenso. Wer jedoch mit einer, zwei oder drei vorgeschriebenen guṇas ausgestattet ist, erlangt die Reinheit jeweils nach vier, drei und einem Tag zurück.

Word by Word

• दशाहम्: ten-day period
• दशाहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगुसमासः (दश + अहन्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• निर्गुणे: in the case of one without qualities (lowest class)
• निर्गुणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th, Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (अधिकरणे)

• प्रोक्तम्: is declared/said
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘(इदं) प्रोक्तम्’

• अशौचम्: impurity (mourning impurity)
• अशौचम्: Karma (कर्म/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘दशाहम्’ इत्यस्य विधेय/विवरणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• अतिनिर्गुणे: in the case of one extremely without qualities
• अतिनिर्गुणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + निर्गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमासः (अति-निर्गुणः); सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (अधिकरणे)

• एक-द्वि-त्रि-गुणैः: with one-, two-, and three-fold measures
• एक-द्वि-त्रि-गुणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + द्वि + त्रि + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमासः (एकगुण-द्विगुण-त्रिगुण); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd, Instrumental), बहुवचन

• युक्तम्: connected/assigned
• युक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) → युक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘(अशौचं) युक्तम्’

• चतुः-त्रि-एक-दिनैः: by four-, three-, and one-day periods
• चतुः-त्रि-एक-दिनैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + त्रि + एक + दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमासः (चतुर्दिन-त्रिदिन-एकदिन); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• शुचिः: (one) is pure
• शुचिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (predicate adjective)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the dharma-teaching as preserved in the Kurma Purana tradition)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Aśauca
• Śauca
• Guṇa
• Varṇāśrama-dharma

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily a dharma-śāstra style rule on aśauca and śauca; it does not directly expound Ātman metaphysics, but it reflects the Purāṇic view that spiritual life is supported by disciplined conduct (ācāra) and ritual purity.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific yoga technique is taught in this verse; instead it provides the social-ritual framework (śauca discipline) that traditionally supports vrata, japa, pūjā, and other sādhana emphasized elsewhere in the Kurma Purana, including Pāśupata-oriented practice.

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

It does not explicitly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; indirectly, it fits the Kurma Purana’s synthesis by treating dharma (purity rules) as a shared foundation for devotion and sādhana across Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava streams.