Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 66

Śrāddha-vidhi for Pitṛs: Invitations, Purity, Offerings, and Conduct

Devanagari script

नाग्रासनोपविष्टस्तु भुञ्जोत प्रथमं द्विजः / बहूनां पश्यतां सो ऽज्ञः पङ्क्त्या हरति किल्बिषम्

Transliteration

nāgrāsanopaviṣṭastu bhuñjota prathamaṃ dvijaḥ / bahūnāṃ paśyatāṃ so 'jñaḥ paṅktyā harati kilbiṣam

Translation

Le deux-fois-né ne doit pas manger assis sur le seuil ; qu’il mange plutôt le premier, selon l’ordre prescrit. S’il mange sottement en rang (pankti) sous les regards de la foule, il fait retomber la faute sur toute la ligne du repas.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• agrāsane: on the foremost seat
• agrāsane: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agra-āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘अग्रे आसनम्’ इति तत्पुरुष

• upaviṣṭaḥ: seated
• upaviṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-√viś (धातु) → upaviṣṭa (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘seated’

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वयार्थक (but/indeed)

• bhuñjīta: should eat
• bhuñjīta: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• prathamam: first
• prathamam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन-प्रथमा/द्वितीया (adverbial accusative)

• dvijaḥ: the Brahmin (twice-born)
• dvijaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• bahūnām: of many
• bahūnām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; ‘many (of)’

• paśyatām: of those watching
• paśyatām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (धातु) → paśyat (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), षष्ठी (genitive) बहुवचन; ‘while (they) are watching’

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ajñaḥ: ignorant
• ajñaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नञ्-समास (negating prefix)

• paṅktyā: by (sitting in) the row/line
• paṅktyā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṅkti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• harati: removes
• harati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √hṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present indicative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• kilbiṣam: sin/impurity
• kilbiṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kilbiṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

Speaker

Kurma (Vishnu) instructing sages on dharma (contextual attribution)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Dvija
• Pankti (dining line)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes purification through disciplined conduct; such śuddhi supports inner steadiness needed for Atman-realization, which the Kurma Purana elsewhere teaches through yoga and knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No formal meditation technique is stated; the verse highlights yama-like restraint and śauca (purity) expressed as regulated eating and social discipline, foundational for later yogic practice in the Purana.

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

This verse is primarily dharma-ācāra instruction rather than theology; in the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis, such ethical discipline is shared ground for both Shaiva (Pāśupata) and Vaishnava paths.