Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

Yuga-Dharma: The Four Ages, Decline of Dharma, and the Rise of Social Order

Devanagari script

ता वै निष्कामचारिण्यो नित्यं मुदितमानसाः / पर्वतोदधिवासिन्यो ह्यनिकेतः परन्तप

Transliteration

tā vai niṣkāmacāriṇyo nityaṃ muditamānasāḥ / parvatodadhivāsinyo hyaniketaḥ parantapa

Translation

Vraiment, elles vont et viennent sans désir égoïste, l’esprit toujours joyeux ; demeurant dans les montagnes et près de l’océan, elles n’ont point de demeure fixe, ô fléau des ennemis.

Word by Word

• ताः: they (those women/people)
• ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; pronoun nominative plural

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle: indeed)

• निष्कामचारिण्यः: women who act without desire
• निष्कामचारिण्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्काम + चारिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (निष्कामं चरन्ति इति) agent-noun used predicatively

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative: always)

• मुदितमानसाः: having joyful minds
• मुदितमानसाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुदित + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: मुदितं मानसं यस्याः/यासां ताः

• पर्वतोदधिवासिन्यः: dwellers in mountains and oceans
• पर्वतोदधिवासिन्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत + उदधि + वासिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व (पर्वतश्च उदधिश्च) + वासिनी (dwelling)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: for/indeed)

• अनिकेतः: homeless/without abode
• अनिकेतः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिकेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (addressed person)

• परन्तप: O scorcher of foes
• परन्तप: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परन्तप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; vocative singular (epithet)

Speaker

Narrator-sage (Pauranic narrator addressing the king as 'parantapa')

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Parantapa

More Details (1 sections)

FAQs

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

By praising desireless conduct and steady cheerfulness, the verse points to inner freedom—an Atman-centered life where contentment arises from detachment rather than external possessions.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The emphasis is on niṣkāma-caryā (desireless discipline) and aniketatva (non-attachment to place/home), both foundational to yogic vairāgya that supports meditation and steadiness of mind.

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

This verse does not explicitly name Shiva or Vishnu; it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis indirectly by valuing renunciation and inner equanimity—virtues central to both Shaiva (Pāśupata-tapas) and Vaishnava (niṣkāma-karma/bhakti) paths.