Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 78

Daily Duties of Brāhmaṇas: Snāna, Sandhyā, Sūrya-hṛdaya, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and the Pañca-mahāyajñas

Devanagari script

स्फाटिकेन्द्राक्षरुद्राक्षैः पुत्रजीवसमुद्भवः / कर्तव्या त्वक्षमाला स्यादुत्तरादुत्तमा स्मृता

Transliteration

sphāṭikendrākṣarudrākṣaiḥ putrajīvasamudbhavaḥ / kartavyā tvakṣamālā syāduttarāduttamā smṛtā

Translation

Tasbih (akṣamālā) hendaknya dibuat dari manik kristal (sphāṭika), indrakṣa, dan rudrākṣa, dengan manik putrajīva sebagai manik utama. Tasbih itu dikenang sebagai yang paling unggul.

Word by Word

• स्फाटिकेन्द्राक्षरुद्राक्षैः: with crystal, indrākṣa and rudrākṣa beads
• स्फाटिकेन्द्राक्षरुद्राक्षैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्फाटिक-इन्द्राक्ष-रुद्राक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; स्फाटिक + इन्द्राक्ष + रुद्राक्ष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; समासः द्वन्द्वः (sphāṭika, indrākṣa, rudrākṣa)

• पुत्रजीवसमुद्भवः: made from putrajīva (seeds)
• पुत्रजीवसमुद्भवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्रजीव-समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक; पुत्रजीव + समुद्भव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (arisen from putrajīva)

• कर्तव्या: should be made
• कर्तव्या: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तव्य (कृदन्त, तव्यत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive; ‘to be made’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (adversative/emphatic particle)

• अक्षमाला: rosary
• अक्षमाला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष-माला (प्रातिपदिक; अक्ष + माला)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (bead-garland)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• उत्तरात्: than the former
• उत्तरात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य), पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; तुलनार्थे अपादान (ablative of comparison)

• उत्तमा: the best/superior
• उत्तमा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्मृता: is said/considered
• स्मृता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘is considered’

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic instruction delivered within the teaching context; traditionally conveyed by Vyāsa/compilers as śāstra-vacana)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Rudraksha
• Akshamala
• Putrajiva
• Sphatika

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes disciplined japa supported by proper sādhana-tools; in the Kurma Purana’s synthesis, such focused repetition steadies the mind toward realization of the inner Self beyond fluctuations.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Mantra-japa aided by an akṣamālā. The verse specifies materials (sphāṭika, indrakṣa, rudrākṣa, and putrajīva) as conducive supports for regulated repetition—an auxiliary practice aligned with Pāśupata-oriented devotion and yogic concentration.

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

By normalizing rudrākṣa (Śiva-associated) as a valid and even superior aid within a Purāṇic framework that also upholds Vaiṣṇava devotion—reflecting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis in practice.