Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 20

Prāyaścitta for Theft, Forbidden Foods, Impurity, and Ritual Lapses; Tīrtha–Vrata Remedies; Pativratā Mahātmyam via Sītā and Agni

Devanagari script

अलाबुं किंशुकं चैव भुक्त्वा चैतद् व्रतं चरेत् / उदुम्बरं च कामेन तप्तकृच्छ्रेण शुद्ध्यति

Transliteration

alābuṃ kiṃśukaṃ caiva bhuktvā caitad vrataṃ caret / udumbaraṃ ca kāmena taptakṛcchreṇa śuddhyati

Translation

ដោយបានបរិភោគលាបូ (ផ្លែទំពាំងបាយជូរ) និងផ្កាគിംសុក (ប៉ាឡាសា) ហើយ គួរអនុវត្តវ្រតនេះ។ ប៉ុន្តែបើដោយក្តីប្រាថ្នា បរិភោគឧទុម្បរ (ផ្លែឈើក្រុម-ហ្វីក) នោះត្រូវសុទ្ធសាធដោយធ្វើតបស្យា «តប្តក្រឹច្ឆ្រ»។

Word by Word

• अलाबुम्: bottle-gourd
• अलाबुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलाबु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• किंशुकम्: kiṃśuka tree/flower
• किंशुकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंशुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• भुक्त्वा: having eaten
• भुक्त्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (vrataṃ)

• व्रतम्: vow/observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चरेत्: should practice/observe
• चरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• उदुम्बरम्: udumbara (fig)
• उदुम्बरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदुम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• कामेन: by desire/optionally
• कामेन: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/हेतु), एकवचन; अर्थे—इच्छया (by choice/at will)

• तप्तकृच्छ्रेण: by the 'taptakṛcchra' penance
• तप्तकृच्छ्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तप्तकृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक: तप्त + कृच्छ्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; साधन/उपायार्थे (by means of the heated austerity)

• शुद्ध्यति: is purified
• शुद्ध्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Sūta (narrating Purāṇic dharma/prāyaścitta instructions to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Kurma Purana
• Taptakṛcchra
• Udumbara
• Kiṃśuka
• Vrata

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse does not directly define Ātman; it teaches the dharmic principle that purity (śuddhi) is restored through disciplined observance (vrata) and corrective austerity (prāyaścitta), which supports inner clarity needed for Self-knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights preparatory discipline rather than a specific meditation: regulated diet, vow-keeping, and prāyaścitta (Taptakṛcchra) as tapas that steadies the mind—foundational for Yoga-sādhana in the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis.

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

Indirectly: the verse emphasizes dharma and purification as shared purāṇic foundations across Shaiva and Vaishnava streams; it fits the Kurma Purana’s integrative approach where ethical-tapas disciplines support devotion and higher realization beyond sectarian divide.