Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 54

Aśauca-vidhi — Rules of Birth/Death Impurity, Sapinda Circles, and Śrāddha Sequence

Devanagari script

एकाहात् क्षत्रिये शुद्धिर्वैश्ये स्याच्च द्व्यहेन तु / शूद्रे दिनत्रयं प्रोक्तं प्राणायामशतं पुनः

Transliteration

ekāhāt kṣatriye śuddhirvaiśye syācca dvyahena tu / śūdre dinatrayaṃ proktaṃ prāṇāyāmaśataṃ punaḥ

Translation

For a Kṣatriya, purification is attained after one day; for a Vaiśya, it is said to be after two days. For a Śūdra, three days are prescribed, and additionally one hundred rounds of prāṇāyāma are taught.

Word by Word

• एकाहात्: after one day / by one day
• एकाहात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (हेतु/अवधि), एकवचन; ‘एक-अह’ (=one day) इति तत्पुरुष

• क्षत्रिये: in the case of a Kshatriya
• क्षत्रिये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• शुद्धिः: purification (period)
• शुद्धिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वैश्ये: in the case of a Vaishya
• वैश्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• द्व्यहेन: by two days / for two days
• द्व्यहेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि + अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/परिमाण), एकवचन; ‘द्वि-अह’ (=two days) इति तत्पुरुष

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• शूद्रे: in the case of a Shudra
• शूद्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दिनत्रयम्: three days
• दिनत्रयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (वाक्ये ‘प्रोक्तम्’ इत्यनेन सह); ‘तीन दिन’ इति तत्पुरुष

• प्रोक्तम्: is declared
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अर्थ: ‘said/declared’

• प्राणायामशतम्: a hundred (rounds) of breath-control
• प्राणायामशतम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणायाम + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (अनुवाक्ये ‘प्रोक्तम्’); ‘प्राणायामानां शतम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• पुनः: again/further
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति/अधिक-अव्यय (again/further)

Speaker

Traditional Purana narrator (Sūta) conveying dharma-instructions as taught in the Kurma Purana

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Kshatriya
• Vaishya
• Shudra
• Pranayama

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It does so indirectly: by prescribing external and internal purification (including prāṇāyāma), it supports the broader Purāṇic aim of making the mind fit for Self-knowledge and devotion—conditions for realizing the Ātman beyond ritual impurity.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Prāṇāyāma (regulated breath-restraint) is explicitly given as a purifying discipline, aligning with Yogic and Pāśupata-style emphasis on inner cleansing alongside outer observances.

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

This specific verse is primarily dharma-prescriptive and does not directly discuss Shiva–Vishnu unity; it contributes to the shared ethical and yogic framework through which the Kurma Purana integrates Shaiva and Vaishnava paths.