Shloka 31

Prāyaścitta for Theft, Forbidden Foods, Impurity, and Ritual Lapses; Tīrtha–Vrata Remedies; Pativratā Mahātmyam via Sītā and Agni

Devanagari script

विड्वराहखरोष्ट्राणां गोमायोः कपिकाकयोः / प्राश्य मूत्रपुरीषाणि द्विजश्चान्द्रायणं चरेत्

Transliteration

viḍvarāhakharoṣṭrāṇāṃ gomāyoḥ kapikākayoḥ / prāśya mūtrapurīṣāṇi dvijaścāndrāyaṇaṃ caret

Translation

Si un homme deux fois né (dvija) consomme l’urine ou les excréments d’un sanglier, d’un âne, d’un chameau, d’une vache, d’un chacal, d’un singe ou d’un corbeau, qu’il accomplisse l’observance de Cāndrāyaṇa en expiation.

Word by Word

• विṭ-वराह-खर-उष्ट्राणाम्: of pig, donkey, and camel (etc.)
• विṭ-वराह-खर-उष्ट्राणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विṭ (प्रातिपदिक) + वराह (प्रातिपदिक) + खर (प्रातिपदिक) + उष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6 विभक्ति), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः—‘of pig, donkey, camel (and viṭ-...)’ (समूहस्य षष्ठी)

• गो-मायोः: of cow and māyu
• गो-मायोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + मायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6 विभक्ति), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वः—‘of cow and mūṣaka/jackal? (māyu)’

• कपि-काकयोः: of monkey and crow
• कपि-काकयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपि (प्रातिपदिक) + काक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6 विभक्ति), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वः—‘of monkey and crow’

• प्राश्य: having eaten
• प्राश्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय-भावकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having eaten’

• मूत्र-पुरीषाणि: urine and feces
• मूत्र-पुरीषाणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरीष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2 विभक्ति), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः—‘urine and feces’

• द्विजः: a twice-born (Brahmin etc.)
• द्विजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1 विभक्ति), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• आन्द्रायणम्: the Cāndrāyaṇa penance
• आन्द्रायणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आन्द्रायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2 विभक्ति), एकवचन; व्रतनाम

• चरेत्: should perform/practice
• चरेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Kurma Purana’s dharma and prāyaścitta teachings to the sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Cāndrāyaṇa (lunar penance)
• Dvija (twice-born)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily a dharmaśāstric rule of expiation (prāyaścitta) and does not directly teach ātman-metaphysics; it supports spiritual discipline by emphasizing purity and restraint as aids to sādhana.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific yoga technique is prescribed; instead, it mandates the Cāndrāyaṇa vrata (a regulated lunar penance), a tapas-based discipline that strengthens self-control (saṃyama) and supports eligibility for higher practices like mantra, dhyāna, and śiva-nārāyaṇa-bhakti taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

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

It does not explicitly discuss Śiva–Viṣṇu unity; it reflects the Purāṇa’s broader synthetic ethic where bodily purity, tapas, and dharma are treated as common foundations for devotion to Īśvara—whether approached as Śiva or Nārāyaṇa in other sections.