Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 45

Prayāga-māhātmya — The Greatness of Prayāga and the Discipline of Pilgrimage

Devanagari script

कपिलां पाटलावर्णां यस्तु धेनुं प्रयच्छति / स्वर्णशृङ्गीं रौप्यखुरां चैलकण्ठां पयस्विनीम्

Transliteration

kapilāṃ pāṭalāvarṇāṃ yastu dhenuṃ prayacchati / svarṇaśṛṅgīṃ raupyakhurāṃ cailakaṇṭhāṃ payasvinīm

Translation

Quiconque fait don d’une vache laitière—fauve, aux reflets rosés—ornée de cornes d’or et de sabots d’argent, avec un tissu noué à son cou, riche de lait, acquiert un grand mérite.

Word by Word

• कपिलाम्: tawny/brown
• कपिलाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• पाटलावर्णाम्: of rose-reddish color
• पाटलावर्णाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाटला + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative: ‘पाटलाया वर्णः’) used adjectivally

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (emphatic/contrast particle)

• धेनुम्: a cow
• धेनुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रयच्छति: gives, bestows
• प्रयच्छति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present indicative), परस्मैपदम् (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्वर्णशृङ्गीम्: gold-horned
• स्वर्णशृङ्गीम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ण + शृङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (instrument/material determinative: ‘स्वर्णस्य शृङ्गे यस्याः’)

• रौप्यखुराम्: silver-hoofed
• रौप्यखुराम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौप्य + खुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (material determinative: ‘रौप्येण खुराः’)

• चैलकण्ठाम्: with a cloth (garland/covering) on the neck
• चैलकण्ठाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चैल + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (determinative: ‘चैलेन कण्ठः/कण्ठे चैलम्’)

• पयस्विनीम्: milk-yielding
• पयस्विनीम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पयस्विनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying the Purāṇic teaching on dāna (charitable gifts) to the sages

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Dhenu (cow)
• Dāna (charity)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse does not directly teach Ātman-doctrine; it emphasizes dharma through dāna—purifying intention and action, which in the Purāṇic framework supports inner purity conducive to higher knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific yoga technique is stated here. The practice implied is karma-yoga in a dhārmic sense: selfless giving (dāna) as a purificatory discipline that complements later meditative and knowledge-oriented teachings.

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

This verse is focused on go-dāna and does not mention Shiva–Vishnu explicitly; within the Kurma Purana’s synthesis, such dharma-based acts are shared foundations supporting both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava paths.