Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 4

Bhojana-vidhi and Nitya-karman: Directions for Eating, Prāṇa-Oblations, Sandhyā, and Conduct Leading to Apavarga

Devanagari script

उपलिप्ते शुचौ देशे पादौ प्रक्षाल्य वै करौ / आचम्यार्द्राननो ऽक्रोधः पञ्चार्द्रे भोजनं चरेत्

Transliteration

upalipte śucau deśe pādau prakṣālya vai karau / ācamyārdrānano 'krodhaḥ pañcārdre bhojanaṃ caret

Translation

In a clean place that has been freshly smeared and purified, one should wash the feet and also the hands; having performed ācamanam (sipping water for purification), with the face still moist and free from anger, one should then take the meal at the fifth part of the day in the proper manner.

Word by Word

• उपलिप्ते: plastered (with cow-dung etc.)
• उपलिप्ते: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-लिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (भूतकृदन्त); पुं/नपुंस?—अत्र ‘देशे’ इति सप्तमी एकवचनस्य विशेषणम्, तस्मात् पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग सप्तमी एकवचन—“smeared/plastered”

• शुचौ: clean/pure
• शुचौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंस सप्तमी एकवचन; विशेषणम् (देशे)

• देशे: in a place
• देशे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (अधिकरण) एकवचन

• पादौ: (his) two feet
• पादौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया द्विवचन

• प्रक्षाल्य: having washed
• प्रक्षाल्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-क्षल् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund); “having washed”

• वै: indeed
• वै: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात); निश्चयार्थक

• करौ: (his) two hands
• करौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया द्विवचन

• आचम्य: having sipped water (ācamana)
• आचम्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund); “having sipped (water), having performed ācamana”

• आर्द्र-आननः: with a moist mouth
• आर्द्र-आननः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (आर्द्रम् आननं यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम्

• अक्रोधः: without anger
• अक्रोधः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-तत्पुरुष/उपसर्गपूर्वक-प्रातिपदिक; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम्—“free from anger”

• पञ्च-अर्द्रे: in the five-moist condition
• पञ्च-अर्द्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु; सप्तमी एकवचन (अधिकरण/अवस्था)

• भोजनम्: meal/eating
• भोजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन

• चरेत्: should practice/perform
• चरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Traditional Purāṇic narrator (instructional dharma-vidhi section; framed within the Kurma Purana’s discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Characters & Entities

• Ācamana
• Śauca
• Dharma

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By insisting on freedom from anger and disciplined conduct even in eating, the verse points to inner purification: mastery of the mind supports steadiness in the Self (ātma-sthairya), a prerequisite for higher realization taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights preparatory yogic discipline—śauca (purity), restraint of krodha (anger), and mindful regulation of food (āhāra-niyama). Such conduct functions as a foundation for Pāśupata-style self-control and steadiness in sādhana.

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

Indirectly, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: the same dharma of purity, calmness, and disciplined living is presented as universally binding for spiritual ascent, aligning Shaiva and Vaishnava paths through shared yogic ethics.