Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 28
Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas: Liquor, Theft, Sexual Transgression, Contact with the Fallen, and Homicide
पैतृष्वस्त्रेयीं गत्वा तु स्वस्त्रेयां मातुरेव च / मातुलस्य सुतां वापि गत्वा चान्द्रायणं चरेत्
paitṛṣvastreyīṃ gatvā tu svastreyāṃ mātureva ca / mātulasya sutāṃ vāpi gatvā cāndrāyaṇaṃ caret
Si un hombre tiene relaciones sexuales con la hija de su tía paterna, o con la hija de su propia hermana, o con la hija de la hermana de su madre, o incluso con la hija de su tío materno, debe realizar la penitencia Cāndrāyaṇa.
Sūta (narrating traditional dharma/prāyaścitta teachings as preserved in the Kurma Purana)
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
FAQs
This verse is not a metaphysical teaching on Ātman; it lays down dharma-based expiation. In the Kurma Purana’s broader framework, such prāyaścitta supports inner purity (śuddhi) and self-mastery, which are prerequisites for higher knowledge and yoga.
The practice highlighted is Cāndrāyaṇa, a disciplined vow involving regulated intake aligned with the lunar cycle, functioning as tapas (austerity). While not a meditation technique, it cultivates restraint (saṃyama) and purification that underpin yogic life in the Purāṇic path.
It does not directly mention Śiva–Viṣṇu unity. Indirectly, it reflects the Purāṇa’s shared ethical ground across Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava traditions: purification through vrata and tapas is upheld as a common foundation for approaching the divine.