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Shloka 24

Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas — Brahmahatyā, Association with the Fallen, and Tīrtha-Based Purification

कपालमोचनं नाम तीर्थं देवस्य शूलिनः / स्नात्वाभ्यर्च्य पितॄन् भक्त्या ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति

kapālamocanaṃ nāma tīrthaṃ devasya śūlinaḥ / snātvābhyarcya pitṝn bhaktyā brahmahatyāṃ vyapohati

Hay un tīrtha llamado Kapālamocana, perteneciente al Señor portador del tridente (Śiva). Tras bañarse allí y venerar con devoción a los antepasados, se disipa el pecado de brahmahatyā (matar a un brāhmaṇa).

कपाल-मोचनम्(the) ‘Skull-release’ (name)
कपाल-मोचनम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeNoun
Rootकपाल + मोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र ‘तीर्थम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणरूपेण; समासः तत्पुरुषः (कपालस्य मोचनम्)
नामnamed
नाम:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनाम (अव्यय)
Formसंज्ञासूचक-अव्यय (indeclinable meaning ‘named/called’)
तीर्थम्a sacred ford/pilgrimage place
तीर्थम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
देवस्यof the god
देवस्य:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
शूलिनःof Śūlin (trident-bearer, Śiva)
शूलिनः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootशूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘देवस्य’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (the trident-bearer)
स्नात्वाhaving bathed
स्नात्वा:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootस्ना (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त; ‘having bathed’
अभ्यर्च्यhaving worshipped
अभ्यर्च्य:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअभि-अर्च् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त; ‘having worshipped’
पितॄन्the ancestors (pitṛs)
पितॄन्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन
भक्त्याwith devotion
भक्त्या:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootभक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन
ब्रह्म-हत्याम्Brahmin-slaying (sin)
ब्रह्म-हत्याम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन् + हत्या (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः हत्या)
व्यपोहतिremoves
व्यपोहति:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवि-अप-ऊह्/अपोह् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘removes/drives away’

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing tīrtha-mahātmyas within the Kurma Purana)

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

S
Shiva
K
Kapalamocana Tirtha
P
Pitrs (Ancestors)

FAQs

Indirectly: it emphasizes purification of the embodied person through devotion and sacred rites; by removing heavy pāpa (sin), one becomes fit for higher knowledge of the Self taught elsewhere in the Purāṇa.

Not a meditative technique, but a dharmic purification practice (tīrtha-snāna and pitṛ-arcana) that supports sādhana by cleansing obstacles (pāpa) and stabilizing bhakti and śraddhā—foundational for later yogic discipline.

Within the Kurma Purana’s synthetic tone, sacred merit is affirmed through a Śaiva tīrtha (of Śiva), even as the Purāṇa overall is Vaiṣṇava in voice—showing complementary authority of Śiva-worship within a broader dharmic unity.