Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 64

Dāna-dharma: Types of Charity, Worthy Recipients, Vrata-Timings, and Śiva–Viṣṇu Propitiation

Devanagari script

सुभुक्तमपि विद्वांसं धार्मिकं भोजयेद् द्विजम् / न तु मूर्खमवृत्तस्थं दशरात्रमुपोषितम्

Transliteration

subhuktamapi vidvāṃsaṃ dhārmikaṃ bhojayed dvijam / na tu mūrkhamavṛttasthaṃ daśarātramupoṣitam

Translation

ទោះបីបានបរិភោគឆ្អែតហើយ ក៏គួរផ្តល់អាហារដល់ទ្វិជៈអ្នកប្រាជ្ញ និងមានធម៌; ប៉ុន្តែមិនគួរផ្តល់ដល់មនុស្សល្ងង់ មានអាកប្បកិរិយាអាក្រក់ ទោះបានអត់អាហារដប់យប់ក៏ដោយ។

Word by Word

• सु-भुक्तम्: well-fed
• सु-भुक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + भुक्त (भुज् धातु, क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; past passive participle (क्त) used adjectivally; ‘well-eaten/fully fed’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha/Particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) = ‘even/also’

• विद्वांसम्: a learned man
• विद्वांसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; stem विद्वस् (learned man)

• धार्मिकम्: righteous
• धार्मिकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धार्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying विद्वांसम्

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: Causative (णिच्) of भुज्; Optative/विधिलिङ्, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; Parasmaipada

• द्विजम्: a twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• तु: but
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: Adversative particle (निपात) = ‘but/however’

• मूर्खम्: a fool
• मूर्खम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• अ-वृत्त-स्थम्: of bad conduct
• अ-वृत्त-स्थम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्-प्रत्यय) + वृत्त (वृत् धातु, क्त-कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (स्था धातु, क्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; नञ्-तत्पुरुष: ‘one who is in (स्थ) improper conduct (अ-वृत्त)’; qualifying मूर्खम्

• दश-रात्रम्: ten-night (for ten nights)
• दश-रात्रम्: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या) + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; द्विगु-समास used adverbially with upoṣitam: ‘for ten nights’

• उपोषितम्: having fasted
• उपोषितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-उष्/वस् (धातु: उपवस् ‘to fast’) (क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; past passive participle (क्त) qualifying मूर्खम्

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) relaying the Kurma Purana’s dharma-teaching in the sage-dialogue tradition

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Dvija
• Dharma
• Upavāsa (fasting)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly, it stresses inner quality over outward acts: mere austerity (like long fasting) without right conduct and discernment is not spiritually fruitful—pointing to dharmic character as the basis for higher realization.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse prioritizes ethical discipline (yama-like conduct) over external tapas alone; it implies that austerity must be supported by right behavior and wisdom, aligning with dharma-based sādhanā emphasized across the Purana.

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

It does not name Shiva or Vishnu directly; its teaching fits the Kurma Purana’s synthesis by valuing dharma and inner purity—shared foundations for both Śaiva (Pāśupata) and Vaiṣṇava paths.