Shloka 15

Vānaprastha-Dharma: Forest Discipline, Vaikhānasa Austerities, and Śiva-Āśrama as the Liberative Refuge

Devanagari script

न नक्तं किञ्चिदश्नीयाद् रात्रौ ध्यानपरो भवेत् / जितेन्द्रियो जितक्रोधस्तत्त्वज्ञानविचिन्तकः / ब्रह्मचारी भवेन्नित्यं न पत्नीमपि संश्रयेत्

Transliteration

na naktaṃ kiñcidaśnīyād rātrau dhyānaparo bhavet / jitendriyo jitakrodhastattvajñānavicintakaḥ / brahmacārī bhavennityaṃ na patnīmapi saṃśrayet

Translation

夜には何ものも食してはならず、夜は瞑想に専念すべきである。諸根を制し、怒りを鎮め、真実の智（tattva-jñāna）を思惟せよ。常に梵行者（brahmacārin）として住し、妻にさえ依りかかってはならない。

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• नक्तम्: at night
• नक्तम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb) ‘at night’ (usage as avyaya)

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-प्रयोग ‘anything’

• अश्नीयात्: should eat
• अश्नीयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should eat’ (negated)

• रात्रौ: in the night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• ध्यानपरः: devoted to meditation
• ध्यानपरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्यान + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ध्याने परः = devoted to meditation)

• भवेत्: should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचन

• जितेन्द्रियः: one who has conquered the senses
• जितेन्द्रियः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि ‘यस्य इन्द्रियाणि जितानि सः’ (having conquered the senses)

• जितक्रोधः: one who has conquered anger
• जितक्रोधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित + क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि ‘यस्य क्रोधः जितः’

• तत्त्वज्ञानविचिन्तकः: a contemplator of knowledge of truth
• तत्त्वज्ञानविचिन्तकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व + ज्ञान + विचिन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: (तत्त्वस्य ज्ञानम्) + (तस्य विचिन्तकः) ‘one who reflects on knowledge of reality’

• ब्रह्मचारी: celibate/student observing brahmacarya
• ब्रह्मचारी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agent noun

• भवेत्: should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग/क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative) ‘always’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• पत्नीम्: wife
• पत्नीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चय-अव्यय (even)

• संश्रयेत्: should resort to/associate with
• संश्रयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+श्रि (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपद, तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should resort to/seek shelter’ (negated)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing on dharma-yoga disciplines (brahmacarya, niyama) in the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Brahmacarya
• Dhyana
• Tattva-jñāna

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By urging “tattva-jñāna-vicintana” (reflection on the truth), the verse points to realization through contemplative knowledge rather than ritual pleasure—implying the Self is approached by inner discipline, clarity, and meditative inquiry.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Night-time fasting (no food at night), sustained dhyāna (meditation), indriya-jaya (sense conquest), krodha-jaya (anger conquest), and continuous brahmacarya are presented as foundational niyamas supporting deeper yogic absorption and knowledge of tattva.

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

Though not naming Śiva or Viṣṇu explicitly, the verse reflects the Kurma Purana’s shared yogic ethic central to both Vaiṣṇava bhakti and Śaiva (including Pāśupata) discipline: liberation is pursued through restraint, meditation, and truth-knowledge rather than indulgence.