Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 33

Rules of Food, Acceptance, and Purity for the Twice-Born

Dvija-Śauca and Anna-Doṣa

Devanagari script

सिंहव्याघ्रं च मार्जारं श्वानं शूकरमेव च / शृगालं मर्कटं चैव गर्दभं च न भक्षयेत्

Transliteration

siṃhavyāghraṃ ca mārjāraṃ śvānaṃ śūkarameva ca / śṛgālaṃ markaṭaṃ caiva gardabhaṃ ca na bhakṣayet

Translation

មិនគួរបរិភោគសាច់សត្វ៖ សិង្ហ (តោ), វ្យាឃ្រ (ខ្លា), មារជារ (ឆ្មា), ស្វាន (ឆ្កែ), សូករ (ជ្រូក), សೃគាល (ចចក), មರ್ಕត (ស្វា), ឬ កર્દភ (លា) ឡើយ។

Word by Word

• सिंह-व्याघ्रम्: lion and tiger (collectively)
• सिंह-व्याघ्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक) + व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (समाहार-द्वन्द्व) ‘सिंहश्च व्याघ्रश्च’; Accusative singular (neuter collective)

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

• मार्जारम्: cat
• मार्जारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्जार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (masculine)

• श्वानम्: dog
• श्वानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वान् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (masculine)

• शूकरम्: boar/pig
• शूकरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (masculine)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-अव्यय

• शृगालम्: jackal
• शृगालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृगाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (masculine)

• मर्कटम्: monkey
• मर्कटम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्कट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (masculine)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-अव्यय

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-अव्यय

• गर्दभम्: donkey
• गर्दभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्दभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (masculine)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-अव्यय

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• भक्षयेत्: should eat
• भक्षयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; should eat/should consume

Speaker

Traditional Purāṇic narrator (Vyāsa/Śaunaka dialogue frame), presenting dharma-vidhi on permissible and prohibited foods

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Lion (siṃha)
• Tiger (vyāghra)
• Cat (mārjāra)
• Dog (śvāna)
• Pig (śūkara)
• Jackal (śṛgāla)
• Monkey (markaṭa)
• Donkey (gardabha)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by prescribing purity in conduct (especially food), it supports sāttvika discipline, which steadies the mind for self-knowledge (ātma-jñāna) taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana’s yoga and devotion sections.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights preparatory discipline (yama/niyama-style restraint) through āhāra-śuddhi—food purity—considered a practical foundation for mantra, meditation, and Pāśupata-oriented self-control.

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

This specific verse is a dharma injunction rather than a theological statement; it supports the shared Shaiva–Vaishnava ethic that purity, restraint, and righteous living are common prerequisites for devotion and yoga leading to the Supreme.