Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 92

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

Devanagari script

स्वां तु नाक्रमयेच्छायां पतिताद्यैर्न रोगिभिः / नाङ्गारभस्मकेशादिष्वधितिष्ठेत् कदाचन

Transliteration

svāṃ tu nākramayecchāyāṃ patitādyairna rogibhiḥ / nāṅgārabhasmakeśādiṣvadhitiṣṭhet kadācana

Translation

अपनी छाया को पतित आदि लोगों से, तथा रोगियों से, न लांघवाए (उनसे अपनी छाया पर पैर न पड़ने दे)। और अंगार, भस्म, केश आदि पर कभी खड़ा न हो।

Word by Word

• svām: one’s own
• svām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘chāyām’ विशेषण (‘one’s own’)

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

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

• ākramayet: should step on
• ākramayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√kram (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense not intended here—simple optative ‘should step on’

• chāyām: shadow
• chāyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chāyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• patita-ādyaiḥ: with fallen persons etc.
• patita-ādyaiḥ: Sahakāraka (सह/सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patita (कृदन्त; √pat (धातु) + क्त) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘patita’ आदि-समूहः; तृतीया ‘by/with (fallen etc.)’

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

• rogibhiḥ: with sick people
• rogibhiḥ: Sahakāraka (सह/सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; सह/करण

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

• aṅgāra-bhasma-keśa-ādiṣu: on/among embers, ash, hair, etc.
• aṅgāra-bhasma-keśa-ādiṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅgāra (प्रातिपदिक) + bhasma (प्रातिपदिक) + keśa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-समूह, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (aṅgāra+bhasma+keśa) + ādi; अधिकरण (locative)

• adhitiṣṭhet: should stand/step upon
• adhitiṣṭhet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• kadācana: ever
• kadācana: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadācana (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अनिश्चितार्थक-अव्यय (ever/at any time)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing on dharma and purity norms

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Varnashrama Dharma
• Śauca
• Sadācāra

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes outer discipline (śauca and restraint) as a preparatory support for inner clarity, which the Purāṇa treats as conducive to steadiness of mind for realizing the Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights ethical-ritual discipline—cleanliness, careful bodily conduct, and avoidance of impurity—which function as foundational niyama-like supports for higher yoga (including the Kurma Purana’s later Pāśupata-oriented spiritual discipline).

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

By presenting a shared dharma framework: the purity-and-conduct codes taught by Lord Kūrma align with broader Śaiva-Vaiṣṇava soteriology in the text, where disciplined conduct supports devotion and liberation irrespective of sectarian emphasis.