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Shloka 5

Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas — Brahmahatyā, Association with the Fallen, and Tīrtha-Based Purification

अनाहिताग्नयो विप्रास्त्रयो वेदार्थपारगाः / यद् ब्रूयुर्धर्मकामास्ते तज्ज्ञेयं धर्मसाधनम्

anāhitāgnayo viprāstrayo vedārthapāragāḥ / yad brūyurdharmakāmāste tajjñeyaṃ dharmasādhanam

Drei brahmanische Weise—auch wenn sie die heiligen Feuer nicht unterhalten—sind kundig im Sinn der drei Veden. Was immer sie, dem Dharma zugetan und nach Rechtschaffenheit verlangend, verkünden, ist als wahres Mittel zur Verwirklichung des Dharma zu erkennen.

anāhita-agnayaḥwithout (maintained) sacred fires
anāhita-agnayaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootan-āhita (कृदन्त from ā+√dhā) + agni (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; तत्पुरुषः (अनाहिताः अग्नयः यस्य/येषाम्) used adjectivally for persons; ‘without established fires’
viprāḥbrāhmaṇas
viprāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootvipra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural
trayaḥthree
trayaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roottri (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; numeral adjective qualifying ‘viprāḥ’
veda-artha-pāragāḥwho have reached the far shore of Vedic meaning (fully learned)
veda-artha-pāragāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootveda + artha + pāra + ga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; तत्पुरुषः (वेदार्त्थस्य पारं गताः)
yatwhatever
yat:
Karma (कर्म/object)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; relative pronoun; object of ‘brūyuḥ’
brūyuḥshould say
brūyuḥ:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√brū (धातु)
FormOptative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)
dharma-kāmāḥdesirous of dharma
dharma-kāmāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootdharma + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य कामाः)
tethey
te:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; demonstrative pronoun referring to the three vipras
tatthat
tat:
Karta (कर्ता/predicate)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; demonstrative; subject/predicate base for ‘jñeyam’
jñeyamshould be known/considered
jñeyam:
Kriyā (क्रिया/predicative)
TypeAdjective
Root√jñā (धातु) → jñeya (कृदन्त)
FormGerundive (तव्यत्/अनीयर् sense), Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘to be known/considered’
dharma-sādhanama means to dharma
dharma-sādhanam:
Karta (कर्ता/predicate complement)
TypeNoun
Rootdharma + sādhana (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य साधनम्) predicate nominative

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing in a dharma-śāstra register

Primary Rasa: shanta

V
Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
V
Veda
D
Dharma

FAQs

This verse does not directly define Ātman; it emphasizes a practical epistemology for dharma—relying on realized Vedic purport as conveyed by dharma-intent sages—supporting the Purāṇic view that right knowledge guides right action toward the highest good.

No specific āsana, prāṇāyāma, or dhyāna is taught here; the verse highlights dharma as a discipline (niyama-like) grounded in guidance from Veda-knowing sages, which in the Kurma Purana functions as the ethical foundation that supports higher Yoga and devotion.

It does not explicitly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu unity; indirectly, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis by treating dharma as rooted in Vedic purport and saintly instruction—an authority honored across both Śaiva (including Pāśupata) and Vaiṣṇava traditions.