Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 10

Saṃnyāsa-dharma — Qualifications, Threefold Renunciation, and the Conduct of the Yati

Devanagari script

निर्ममो निर्भयः शान्तो निर्द्वन्द्वः पर्णभोजनः / जीर्णकौपीनवासाः स्यान्नग्नो वा ध्यानतत्परः

Transliteration

nirmamo nirbhayaḥ śānto nirdvandvaḥ parṇabhojanaḥ / jīrṇakaupīnavāsāḥ syānnagno vā dhyānatatparaḥ

Translation

Ohne Besitzanspruch, furchtlos, friedvoll und jenseits der Gegensätze, soll er von Blatt-Speise leben; in einem abgetragenen Lendenschurz (kaupīna)—oder sogar unbekleidet—soll er ganz der Meditation hingegeben sein.

Word by Word

• निर्ममः: free from possessiveness
• निर्ममः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘without mine-ness’

• निर्भयः: fearless
• निर्भयः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शान्तः: peaceful
• शान्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; PPP used adjectivally

• निर्द्वन्द्वः: free from dualities
• निर्द्वन्द्वः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्द्वन्द्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘free from pairs of opposites’

• पर्णभोजनः: one who eats leaves
• पर्णभोजनः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘पर्णं भोजनं यस्य/पर्णैः भोजनम्’ (leaf-eater)

• जीर्णकौपीनवासाः: wearing a worn loincloth as garment
• जीर्णकौपीनवासाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जीर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + कौपीन (प्रातिपदिक) + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: ‘जीर्णं कौपीनं वासो यस्य’

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should be’

• नग्नः: naked
• नग्नः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नग्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प/ disjunctive particle (or)

• ध्यानतत्परः: intent on meditation
• ध्यानतत्परः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सप्तमी/उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘ध्याने तत्परः’

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing on renunciation and yogic discipline

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Vishnu
• Dhyana
• Sannyasa
• Dvandva

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By urging freedom from possessiveness, fear, and dualities, the verse points to the Atman as untouched by external conditions; meditation is the means to abide in that non-dependent inner reality.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes dhyāna (steady meditation) supported by vairāgya: simplicity of food and clothing, fearlessness, mental equipoise, and transcending dvandvas—classic preparatory disciplines aligned with Pashupata-leaning renunciate praxis in the Kaurma tradition.

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

Rather than sectarian ritual markers, it stresses inner renunciation and meditation—common ground in Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis—where realization is defined by yogic transformation, not external identity.