Uttara Bhaga Adhyaya 33 Shloka 80 - Kurma Purana | German | Vedapath

Vyasa

Shloka 80

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

Devanagari script

पङ्क्त्यां विषमदानं तु कृत्वा कृच्छ्रेण शुद्ध्यति / छायां श्वपाकस्यारुह्य स्नात्वा संप्राशयेद् घृतम्

Transliteration

paṅktyāṃ viṣamadānaṃ tu kṛtvā kṛcchreṇa śuddhyati / chāyāṃ śvapākasyāruhya snātvā saṃprāśayed ghṛtam

Translation

Bei dem rituellen Reihenmahl (paṅkti) wird, wer Speisegaben ungehörig oder ungleich verteilt hat, durch die Buße des Kṛcchra gereinigt. Danach trete man in den Schatten eines śvapāka (Ausgestoßener/caṇḍāla), bade sich und nehme rituell Ghee, die heilige geklärte Butter, zu sich.

Word by Word

पङ्क्त्याम्in a row/line (of diners)

विषमदानम्unequal/irregular giving (of food/charity)

तुbut/indeed

कृत्वाhaving done

कृच्छ्रेणwith hardship/with difficulty

शुद्ध्यतिis purified

छायाम्(into) the shadow

श्वपाकस्यof a dog-cooker (outcaste)

आरुह्यhaving entered (i.e., fallen into)

स्नात्वाhaving bathed

संप्राशयेत्should make (himself) eat / should partake

घृतम्ghee

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) relaying the Kurma Purana’s dharma-śāstra injunctions on prāyaścitta

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

Kṛcchra (penance)

Paṅkti (row-feast)

Śvapāka (outcaste/caṇḍāla)

Ghṛta (ghee)

FAQs

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

It does not teach Ātman metaphysics directly; it frames dharma as inner-and-outer purification, implying that ethical order and self-discipline (prāyaścitta) support clarity needed for higher knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No formal yogic technique is taught; the verse highlights tapas (austerity) through Kṛcchra and ritual cleansing, which function as preparatory disciplines (śuddhi) that traditional Yoga and Pāśupata-oriented practice treat as foundations for steadiness of mind.

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

Indirectly: the Kurma Purana’s synthesis often places dharma (right conduct and purification) as a shared ground for both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava paths; this verse contributes that common dharmic framework rather than making an explicit sectarian statement.