Shloka 4

फलमूलानि पूतानि नित्यमाहारमाहरेत् / यताहारो भवेत् तेन पूजयेत् पितृदेवताः

phalamūlāni pūtāni nityamāhāramāharet / yatāhāro bhavet tena pūjayet pitṛdevatāḥ

One should regularly take as food purified fruits and roots. Whatever one’s regulated diet may be, by that very pure sustenance one should worship the ancestral deities, the Pitṛs.

phala-mūlānifruits and roots
phala-mūlāni:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootphala (प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); itaretara-dvandva (फलानि च मूलानि च)
pūtānipurified/clean
pūtāni:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpūta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); adjective qualifying 'phalamūlāni'
nityamalways
nityam:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootnitya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), adverbial accusative (नित्यं)
āhāramfood
āhāram:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootāhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
āharetshould take/bring (for eating)
āharet:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootā-hṛ (धातु)
FormOptative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
yata-āhāraḥone with restrained diet
yata-āhāraḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootyata (प्रातिपदिक) + āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: yataḥ āhāraḥ yasya (restricted in diet)
bhavetshould be
bhavet:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootbhū (धातु)
FormOptative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
tenaby that/thereby
tena:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)
pūjayetshould worship
pūjayet:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpūj (धातु)
FormOptative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
pitṛ-devatāḥthe Pitṛ-deities (ancestors)
pitṛ-devatāḥ:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootpitṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: pitṝṇāṃ devatāḥ (those deities, i.e., the Pitṛs)

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing in dharma related to Pitṛs and śrāddha

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

P
Pitṛs
P
Pitṛdevatāḥ

FAQs

Indirectly, it teaches that inner purity is supported by disciplined intake (āhāra-śuddhi); such purity steadies the mind for dharma and for higher knowledge that culminates in realizing the Self.

The verse highlights yatāhāra (regulated diet), a foundational yogic restraint that supports śauca (purity) and mental clarity—prerequisites for mantra, worship, and meditation described across the Kurma Purana’s yoga-dharma teachings.

While not naming Śiva explicitly, it reflects the Purana’s synthesis: disciplined purity and ritual duty (such as honoring the Pitṛs) are upheld as universally valid supports for both Vaiṣṇava devotion and Śaiva-yogic attainment.