Shloka 2

Prāyaścitta for Theft, Forbidden Foods, Impurity, and Ritual Lapses; Tīrtha–Vrata Remedies; Pativratā Mahātmyam via Sītā and Agni

Devanagari script

द्रव्याणामल्पसाराणां स्तेयं कृत्वान्यवेश्मतः / चरेत् सांतपनं कृच्छ्रं तन्निर्यात्यात्मशुद्धये

Transliteration

dravyāṇāmalpasārāṇāṃ steyaṃ kṛtvānyaveśmataḥ / caret sāṃtapanaṃ kṛcchraṃ tanniryātyātmaśuddhaye

Translation

Stiehlt jemand aus einem fremden Haus Güter von geringem Wert, so soll er zur Selbstläuterung die reinigende Buße Sāntapana‑Kṛcchra vollziehen. Dadurch wird die Schuld getilgt und das Selbst gereinigt.

Word by Word

• dravyāṇām: of goods/objects
• dravyāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dravya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• alpasārāṇām: of low-value (items)
• alpasārāṇām: Vishesana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: alpa (अल्प, प्रातिपदिक) + sāra (सार, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); कर्मधारय: ‘alpaḥ sāraḥ yeṣām’ (low-value)

• steyam: theft
• steyam: Karma (कर्म/object of kṛtvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: steya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वान्त)

• anya-veśmataḥ: from another’s house
• anya-veśmataḥ: Apadana (अपादान/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (अन्य, प्रातिपदिक) + veśman (वेश्मन्, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: ‘anyasya veśmanaḥ’

• caret: should perform
• caret: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• sāṃtapanam: the sāṃtapana (penance)
• sāṃtapanam: Karma (कर्म/object of caret)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāṃtapana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kṛcchram: a kṛcchra penance
• kṛcchram: Karma (कर्म/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛcchra (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); in apposition to sāṃtapanam

• tat: that (penance)
• tat: Karma (कर्म/object of niryāti)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun referring to the penance

• niryāti: removes/atones for
• niryāti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-yā (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• ātmaśuddhaye: for self-purification
• ātmaśuddhaye: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/purpose-dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (आत्मन्, प्रातिपदिक) + śuddhi (शुद्धि, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: ‘ātmanaḥ śuddhiḥ’

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Kurma Purana’s dharma instructions as taught in the tradition)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Kurma Purana
• Sāntapana Kṛcchra
• Dharma
• Prāyaścitta

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It treats “ātma-śuddhi” (purification of the self) as essential: wrongdoing obscures inner clarity, and disciplined expiation restores fitness for dharma and spiritual practice.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Rather than a meditation technique, it emphasizes prāyaścitta (austerity and self-restraint) as a preparatory purification—supporting steadiness (niyama/discipline) that undergirds Yoga in the Kurma Purana’s broader teaching.

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

It does not explicitly discuss Shiva–Vishnu unity; instead, it reflects the shared puranic-dharma principle—honoring ethical conduct and purification as foundations compatible with both Shaiva (Pāśupata) and Vaishnava paths.