Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

अमावस्यामनुप्राप्य ब्राह्मणाय तपस्विने / यत्किचिद् देवदेवेशं दद्याच्चोद्दिश्य शङ्करम्

Transliteration

amāvasyāmanuprāpya brāhmaṇāya tapasvine / yatkicid devadeveśaṃ dadyāccoddiśya śaṅkaram

Translation

Wenn der Amāvasyā-Tag (Neumond) eintrifft, soll man einem asketischen Brāhmaṇa eine Gabe darbringen—was immer man vermag—und sie Śaṅkara weihen, dem Gott der Götter, dem Herrn der Devas.

Word by Word

• अमावस्याम्: on the new-moon day
• अमावस्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमावस्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अनुप्राप्य: having reached/when it has come
• अनुप्राप्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वक्रिया—‘प्राप्य/प्राप्त्वा’

• ब्राह्मणाय: to a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• तपस्विने: to an ascetic
• तपस्विने: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; ‘ब्राह्मणाय’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘किचित्’ इत्यनेन सह—‘यत्किचित्’

• किचित्: anything (some gift)
• किचित्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् + चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक सर्वनाम—‘something/anything’

• देवदेवेशम्: the Lord of the gods of gods (supreme deity)
• देवदेवेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘देवानां देवः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः + ‘ईश’

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय निपात (conjunction)

• उद्दिश्य: dedicating/with reference to
• उद्दिश्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; अर्थः ‘उद्देश्य/नाम्ना’ (dedicating/with intention)

• शङ्करम्: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शङ्करम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Traditional puranic narrator (instructional voice within the Kurma Purana’s dharma-teaching context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shankara
• Brahmana

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as “Devadeveśa,” the highest Lord approached through intention (uddiśya): the inner dedication behind the act is primary, pointing toward an inward, God-centered orientation rather than mere external ritual.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes bhāva (inner intention) and niyama-like discipline: giving on Amāvasyā with a focused dedication to Śaṅkara. This aligns with purāṇic yoga-ethics where charity, restraint, and devotion purify the mind for higher practice.

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

By prescribing a dharmic act dedicated to Śaṅkara within the Kurma Purana’s broader framework, it reflects the text’s synthesis: devotion and duty can be directed to Śiva as supreme without sectarian contradiction, consistent with Shaiva–Vaishnava harmony.