Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

अनिर्दशाहं गोक्षीरं माहिषं चाजमेव च / संधिन्याश्च विवत्सायाः पिबन् क्षीरमिदं चरेत्

Transliteration

anirdaśāhaṃ gokṣīraṃ māhiṣaṃ cājameva ca / saṃdhinyāśca vivatsāyāḥ piban kṣīramidaṃ caret

Translation

Man soll keine Kuhmilch trinken, die innerhalb von zehn Tagen (nach dem Kalben) ist; ebenso weder Büffel- noch Ziegenmilch. Hat man die Milch einer brünstigen Kuh (die Vereinigung sucht) oder einer Kuh, die ihr Kalb verloren hat, getrunken, so soll man diese Observanz als Sühne ausführen.

Word by Word

• अनिर्दशाहम्: not (less than) ten days old
• अनिर्दशाहम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिर्दशाह (प्रातिपदिक: अ- + निर्दशाह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (गोक्षीरम्); तत्पुरुष—निर्दशाहं न (not ten-days-old)

• गोक्षीरम्: cow's milk
• गोक्षीरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—गवां क्षीरम्

• माहिषम्: buffalo (milk)
• माहिषम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माहिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (क्षीरम्)

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

• अजम्: goat (milk)
• अजम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (क्षीरम्)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात

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

• संधिन्याः: of a cow in milk (recently calved)
• संधिन्याः: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संधिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

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

• विवत्सायाः: of a cow without a calf
• विवत्सायाः: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवत्सा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पिबन्: drinking
• पिबन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि

• क्षीरम्: milk
• क्षीरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (क्षीरम्)

• चरेत्: should practice/observe
• चरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narratorial/dharmic instruction in the Kurma Purana (traditional puranic voice, commonly framed as Lord Kurma’s teaching to sages/Indradyumna in surrounding discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Gau (cow)
• Mahīṣī (buffalo)
• Ajā (goat)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it teaches śauca (purity) and niyama as supports for inner clarity, which the Kurma Purana links to steadiness of mind required for realizing the Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights niyama through regulated diet (āhāra-śuddhi) and prāyaścitta for lapses—foundational disciplines that support mantra, dhyāna, and Pāśupata-oriented restraint in the Kurma Purana’s broader teaching.

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

Not explicitly; the synthesis is methodological: the same dharma-based purity disciplines are presented as valid supports for devotion and yoga regardless of whether one’s iṣṭa is Śiva or Nārāyaṇa.