Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 79

Brahmacārin-Dharma: Guru-Sevā, Daily Vedic Study, Gāyatrī-Japa, and Anadhyāya Regulations

Devanagari script

एकामृचमथैकं वा यजुः सामाथवा पुनः / अष्टकाद्यास्वधीयीत मारुते चातिवायति

Transliteration

ekāmṛcamathaikaṃ vā yajuḥ sāmāthavā punaḥ / aṣṭakādyāsvadhīyīta mārute cātivāyati

Translation

風が激しく吹きすさぶときは、Ṛg の一偈のみ、あるいは Yajus の一句のみ、または Sāman の一節のみを学び誦せよ。同様に Aṣṭakā などの特別の日にも、誦持は最小限にとどめるべきである。

Word by Word

• एकाम्: one
• एकाम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; ‘ऋचम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• ऋचम्: ṛk-verse (Rig-verse)
• ऋचम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म; object of ‘अधीयीत’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अथ: then / or else
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर/प्रस्ताव-अव्यय (then/now)

• एकम्: one (single unit)
• एकम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (अध्याहृतं ‘पदम्/मन्त्रं’)

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (or)

• यजुः: a Yajus formula
• यजुः: कर्म (Karma/कर्म; object of ‘अधीयीत’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (वेद-नाम)

• साम: a Sāman chant
• साम: कर्म (Karma/कर्म; object of ‘अधीयीत’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (वेद-नाम)

• अथ: or else
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर/विकल्प-अव्यय (then/else)

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (or)

• पुनः: again / further
• पुनः: सम्बन्ध (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति/पुनः-अव्यय (again/further)

• अष्टकाद्यासु: on Aṣṭakā and similar (days/occasions)
• अष्टकाद्यासु: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टका (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अष्टका-आदि), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन

• अधीयीत: should study / recite
• अधीयीत: क्रिया (injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-इ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मारुते: when there is wind / in windy conditions
• मारुते: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अतिवायति: blows strongly
• अतिवायति: क्रिया (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति-वा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Traditional narrator within the Purāṇic discourse (instructional passage on dharma and svādhyāya-niyama)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Rigveda
• Yajurveda
• Samaveda
• Ashtaka

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse does not directly teach ātma-tattva; it gives a dharmic discipline for svādhyāya—showing that spiritual pursuit is supported by regulated conduct and reverence for Vedic study.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The practice implied is niyama (discipline): regulating svādhyāya by reducing recitation under disruptive conditions (strong wind) and on specific observance days, aligning study with steadiness and ritual propriety.

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

It does not explicitly mention Śiva–Viṣṇu unity; it functions as a shared dharma framework within which the Kurma Purana’s broader Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava synthesis and Pāśupata-oriented teachings are situated.