Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 34
Śrāddha-vidhi for Pitṛs: Invitations, Purity, Offerings, and Conduct
हीनाङ्गः पतितः कुष्ठी व्रणी पुक्कसनास्तिकौ / कुक्कुटाः शूकराः श्वानो वर्ज्याः श्राद्धेषु दूरतः
hīnāṅgaḥ patitaḥ kuṣṭhī vraṇī pukkasanāstikau / kukkuṭāḥ śūkarāḥ śvāno varjyāḥ śrāddheṣu dūrataḥ
In rites of śrāddha, one should keep far away those who are physically maimed, those fallen from prescribed conduct, lepers, the ulcered or wounded, the pukkasa, and the nāstika; likewise, fowls, pigs, and dogs are to be strictly excluded.
Sūta (narrator) conveying traditional dharma instructions of the Kurma Purana in the śrāddha context
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
FAQs
It does not directly define Ātman; instead, it frames dharma for pitṛ-yajña. In Kurma Purana’s synthesis, disciplined ritual conduct (niyama) supports inner purity, which is treated as a prerequisite for higher knowledge and yoga that culminate in realizing the Self.
No specific āsana or dhyāna is taught here; the verse emphasizes ritual boundaries in śrāddha. In the Kurma Purana’s broader yogic-dharma vision (including later Ishvara Gita teachings), such niyamas—cleanliness, right company, and regulated conduct—are seen as supportive conditions for steady meditation and sāttvika mind.
This verse is primarily dharma-ritual instruction and does not explicitly discuss Śiva–Viṣṇu unity. The Kurma Purana’s overall stance is synthetic: proper dharma (including śrāddha) is compatible with devotion to either form of Īśvara and can serve the same goal of purification leading toward liberation.