Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 31

Yati-Āśrama: Bhikṣā-vidhi, Īśvara-dhyāna, and Prāyaścitta

Mahādeva as Non-dual Brahman

Devanagari script

यदेतद् द्रविणं नाम प्राण ह्येते बहिश्वराः / स तस्य हरति प्राणान् यो यस्य हरते धनम्

Transliteration

yadetad draviṇaṃ nāma prāṇa hyete bahiśvarāḥ / sa tasya harati prāṇān yo yasya harate dhanam

Translation

「財」と呼ばれるものは、まことに生命の息そのものである。これら外なる力は外界の主にすぎない。ゆえに、他人の財を奪う者は、その人の命の息を奪うのである。

Word by Word

• yat: that which
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-यत् (relative pronoun)

• etat: this
• etat: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (demonstrative pronoun)

• draviṇam: wealth, property
• draviṇam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: draviṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (neuter sg nom/acc)

• nāma: called, namely
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-शब्दः; संज्ञार्थक/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (indeclinable: 'called/namely')

• prāṇāḥ: life-breaths, lives
• prāṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (Nominative plural, masculine)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (indeed/for)

• ete: these
• ete: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (Pronoun, nominative plural, masculine)

• bahiḥ-śvarāḥ: external rulers/masters
• bahiḥ-śvarāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bahiḥ (अव्यय) + śvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; 'बहिः (स्थिताः) श्वराः/ईश्वराः' इव—कर्मधारय (outer lords; those that rule externally)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Pronoun, nominative singular, masculine)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• harati: takes away, steals
• harati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √hṛ (हृ धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Present, 3rd sg)

• prāṇān: lives
• prāṇān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन (Accusative plural, masculine)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-यत् (relative pronoun)

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी एकवचन (Genitive singular; 'whose')

• harate: takes away
• harate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √hṛ (हृ धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Present, 3rd sg, Ātmanepada)

• dhanam: wealth
• dhanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative singular, neuter)

Speaker

Traditional narrator voice within the Purāṇic discourse (dharma-upadeśa context), attributed to the teaching stream of the Kurma Purana

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: karuna

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it distinguishes the true life-force (prāṇa) from external possessions, implying that clinging to external ‘lords’ (bahiḥ-īśvarāḥ) obscures the inner reality; dharma begins by recognizing life as more fundamental than property.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports the ethical groundwork required for Yoga—non-stealing (asteya/steya-varjana) and restraint regarding artha—without which higher practices (dhyāna, īśvara-bhakti, or Pāśupata discipline) are considered unstable.

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

Not explicitly; it reflects the shared dharmic foundation emphasized across Shaiva-Vaishnava teaching streams in the Kurma Purana: moral restraint and protection of life are prerequisites for devotion and liberation-oriented practice.