Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 11

Dāna-dharma: Types of Charity, Worthy Recipients, Vrata-Timings, and Śiva–Viṣṇu Propitiation

Devanagari script

श्रोत्रियाय कुलीनाय विनीताय तपस्विने / वृत्तस्थाय दरिद्राय प्रदेयं भक्तिपूर्वकम्

Transliteration

śrotriyāya kulīnāya vinītāya tapasvine / vṛttasthāya daridrāya pradeyaṃ bhaktipūrvakam

Translation

Man soll in Bhakti und Ehrfurcht geben: dem Śrotriya, der die Veden kennt, dem von edler Herkunft und rechter Lebensführung, dem Demütigen, dem Asketen (Tapasvin) und dem Armen, der auf rechtschaffene Weise lebt.

Word by Word

• श्रोत्रियाय: to a learned Vedic scholar
• श्रोत्रियाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रोत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• कुलीनाय: to a well-born (person)
• कुलीनाय: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुलीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with implied recipient

• विनीताय: to a disciplined/humble (person)
• विनीताय: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनीत (प्रातिपदिक; past participle used adjectivally)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• तपस्विने: to an ascetic
• तपस्विने: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• वृत्तस्थाय: to one established in right conduct
• वृत्तस्थाय: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत्त-स्थ (प्रातिपदिक; वृत्त + स्थ)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• दरिद्राय: to a poor person
• दरिद्राय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• प्रदेयम्: should be given
• प्रदेयम्: Karya (कार्य/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-दा (धातु) → प्रदेय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Gerundive/तव्यत्, Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• भक्ति-पूर्वकम्: with devotion, devoutly
• भक्ति-पूर्वकम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भक्ति + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva compound used adverbially (क्रियाविशेषण), Neuter accusative singular form functioning as indeclinable

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing on dāna-dharma

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Kūrma (Vishnu)
• śrotriya
• tapasvin

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by urging devotional, righteous giving, it teaches purification of the mind (citta-śuddhi), which is presented in the Kurma Purana as a key support for realizing the Self beyond ego and possessiveness.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes karma-yoga in a dharmic form: selfless giving with bhakti. Such disciplined action supports inner purification, a prerequisite repeatedly linked in the Kurma Purana’s Yoga-oriented teaching stream (including Pāśupata-leaning ethics) to steadiness in meditation.

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

Though not naming Shiva, the teaching reflects the Purana’s synthesis: devotion (bhakti) and ascetic virtue (tapas) are honored as universally dharmic, aligning Vaishnava devotion with Shaiva-ascetic values rather than opposing them.