Shloka 31

Dharma of Non-Injury, Non-Stealing, Purity, and Avoidance of Hypocrisy (Ācāra and Saṅkarya-Nivṛtti)

Devanagari script

एकपङ्क्त्युपविष्टा ये न स्पृशन्ति परस्परम् / भस्मना कृतमर्यादा न तेषां संकरो भवेत्

Transliteration

ekapaṅktyupaviṣṭā ye na spṛśanti parasparam / bhasmanā kṛtamaryādā na teṣāṃ saṃkaro bhavet

Translation

Ceux qui sont assis sur une même rangée, sans se toucher les uns les autres, et qui fixent la limite en la marquant de cendre sacrée (bhasma), parmi eux il n’y aura pas de saṅkara, c’est-à-dire de mélange.

Word by Word

• एकपङ्क्ति: in one row
• एकपङ्क्ति: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक-पङ्क्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (एक + पङ्क्ति)

• उपविष्टाः: seated
• उपविष्टाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-√विश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध/negation particle

• स्पृशन्ति: touch
• स्पृशन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• परस्परम्: each other
• परस्परम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्पर (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; परस्पर-क्रियाविशेषण (reciprocal adverb)

• भस्मना: with ash
• भस्मना: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• कृतमर्यादाः: having established a boundary (with ash)
• कृतमर्यादाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-मर्यादा (प्रातिपदिक; कृत = √कृ + क्त)
• Form: समासः—कर्मधारय (कृता मर्यादा येषाम्); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• संकरः: mixing/contamination
• संकरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would be/should occur
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Traditional narration context (Purāṇic discourse): the teaching voice of the text, commonly framed as Sūta/Vyāsa transmitting dharma-instructions to sages

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Bhasma (Vibhuti)
• Maryada
• Saṅkara

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily dharma-oriented rather than metaphysical: it emphasizes disciplined boundaries (maryādā) and non-contact rules to preserve ritual order, not a direct exposition of Ātman.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No formal yogic technique is taught here; however, the use of bhasma (vibhūti) reflects a Śaiva discipline of purity and regulated conduct—supporting the broader Kurma Purana ethos where outer observance reinforces inner restraint (yama-niyama-like control).

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

Indirectly: the ash-boundary (bhasma) is a Śaiva marker, yet preserved within a Purāṇic dharma framework—showing the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance where Śaiva ritual symbols can function within a wider Vaiṣṇava-Purāṇic order.