Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 19

Karma-yoga Discipline for the Twice-born: Upanayana, Upavīta Conduct, Guru-veneration, and Alms-regimen

Devanagari script

असावहं भो नामेति सम्यक् प्रणतिपूर्वकम् / आयुरारोग्यसिद्ध्यर्थं तन्द्रादिपरिवर्जितः

Transliteration

asāvahaṃ bho nāmeti samyak praṇatipūrvakam / āyurārogyasiddhyarthaṃ tandrādiparivarjitaḥ

Translation

ಯಥಾವಿಧಿಯಾಗಿ ಪ್ರಣಾಮ ಮಾಡಿ ‘ಅಸಾವಹಂ ಭೋ—(ಅಮುಕ) ನಾಮ’ ಎಂಬ ವಾಕ್ಯವನ್ನು ಸರಿಯಾಗಿ ಉಚ್ಚರಿಸಬೇಕು. ಆಯುಃ ಮತ್ತು ಆರೋಗ್ಯಸಿದ್ಧಿಗಾಗಿ ತಂದ್ರಾದಿ ಅಡ್ಡಿಗಳನ್ನು ತ್ಯಜಿಸಿ ಚುರುಕಾಗಿರಬೇಕು.

Word by Word

• asau: this (person)
• asau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asau (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• bho: O! / hey
• bho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bho (अव्यय/सम्बोधन-निपात)
• Form: Particle/interjection (निपात), vocative-address marker

• nāma: name
• nāma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); used as quoted word in formula

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• samyak: properly
• samyak: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• praṇati-pūrvakam: preceded by obeisance
• praṇati-pūrvakam: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: praṇati (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva compound (अव्ययीभाव), adverbial; Neuter (नपुंसक) Accusative (द्वितीया/2) Singular (एकवचन) used adverbially

• āyuḥ-ārogya-siddhi-artham: for the attainment of longevity and health
• āyuḥ-ārogya-siddhi-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyuḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + ārogya (प्रातिपदिक) + siddhi (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (तत्पुरुष), purpose-expression; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• tandrā-ādi-parivarjitaḥ: free from drowsiness and the like
• tandrā-ādi-parivarjitaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tandrā (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + parivarjita (कृदन्त)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound; past passive participle (कृत्: क्त) from √vṛj/varj (वर्ज्) with pari-; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sage (instructional narrator within the Purva-bhaga’s ritual-dharma discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Narayana
• Shiva

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes disciplined self-reference (“I…by name”) within humility (praṇati), pointing to self-awareness that must be purified by restraint rather than ego.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

A foundational yogic discipline is stressed: removal of obstacles like tandrā (torpor). This aligns with sādhana principles—alertness, regulated conduct, and reverent posture before sacred recitation.

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

By placing health-siddhi and disciplined devotion within Purāṇic practice, it supports the Kurma Purana’s synthetic ethos where reverent ritual and inner discipline serve the one Supreme (Hari-Hara) without sectarian conflict.