Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 15

Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas: Liquor, Theft, Sexual Transgression, Contact with the Fallen, and Homicide

Devanagari script

कृच्छ्रं वाब्दं चरेद् विप्रश्चीरवासाः समाहितः / अश्वमेधावभृथके स्नात्वा वा शुद्ध्यते नरः

Transliteration

kṛcchraṃ vābdaṃ cared vipraścīravāsāḥ samāhitaḥ / aśvamedhāvabhṛthake snātvā vā śuddhyate naraḥ

Translation

A brāhmaṇa should undertake the Kṛcchra penance for a year, wearing bark-garments and remaining disciplined and collected; or else, by bathing at the concluding ablution (avabhṛtha) of an Aśvamedha sacrifice, a person becomes purified.

Word by Word

• कृच्छ्रम्: the Kṛcchra penance
• कृच्छ्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तपोव्रत-विशेषः

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• अब्दम्: for a year
• अब्दम्: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; काल-परिमाण (year)

• चरेत्: should practice
• चरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• विप्रः: a Brahmin
• विप्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चीर-वासाः: wearing bark garments
• चीर-वासाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चीर (प्रातिपदिक) + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषण-प्रयोगः; तत्पुरुषः (चीरं वासो यस्य = wearing bark-garments)

• समाहितः: composed, attentive
• समाहितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु) → समाहित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (composed/collected)

• अश्वमेध-अवभृथके: at the concluding bath of the Aśvamedha
• अश्वमेध-अवभृथके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक) + अवभृथक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अश्वमेधस्य अवभृथः)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभाव; √स्ना (to bathe)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• शुद्ध्यते: is purified
• शुद्ध्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोग (is purified)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing sages on dharma and prāyaścitta

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Aśvamedha
• Avabhṛtha
• Kṛcchra (Prāyaścitta)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It does not define Ātman directly; it frames purification as a dharmic prerequisite—outer discipline (tapas, restraint) supports inner clarity in which realization of the Self becomes possible.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes samāhita (collected, concentrated mind) alongside austerity and simplicity (bark-garments), pointing to a yogic ethic of restraint that complements later meditative teachings in the Kurma Purana.

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

This verse is primarily ritual-dharmic rather than theological; consistent with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis, purification through tapas and yajña is presented as universally valid within the shared Shaiva–Vaishnava dharma framework.