Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 9

Dharma of Non-Injury, Non-Stealing, Purity, and Avoidance of Hypocrisy (Ācāra and Saṅkarya-Nivṛtti)

Devanagari script

तृणं काष्ठं फलं पुष्पं प्रकाशं वै हरेद् बुधः / धर्मार्थं केवलं विप्रा ह्यन्यथा पतितो भवेत्

Transliteration

tṛṇaṃ kāṣṭhaṃ phalaṃ puṣpaṃ prakāśaṃ vai hared budhaḥ / dharmārthaṃ kevalaṃ viprā hyanyathā patito bhavet

Translation

ಹೇ ವಿಪ್ರರೇ! ಬುದ್ಧಿವಂತನು ಹುಲ್ಲು, ಕಟ್ಟಿಗೆ, ಹಣ್ಣು, ಪುಷ್ಪ ಮತ್ತು ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಬೆಳಕು/ಇಂಧನವನ್ನು ಧರ್ಮಾರ್ಥಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಮಾತ್ರ ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕು; ಇಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದರೆ ಅವನು ಪತಿತನಾಗುತ್ತಾನೆ।

Word by Word

• तृणम्: grass
• तृणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• काष्ठम्: wood
• काष्ठम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• फलम्: fruit
• फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुष्पम्: flower
• पुष्पम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रकाशम्: light; illumination
• प्रकाशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; emphatic/indeed

• हरेत्: should take/collect
• हरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• बुधः: a wise man
• बुधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• धर्मार्थम्: for the sake of dharma
• धर्मार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (धर्मस्य अर्थः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य), एकवचन

• केवलम्: only; solely
• केवलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial use)

• विप्राः: O Brahmins
• विप्राः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे (vocative sense)

• हि: for; indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; for/indeed

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• पतितः: fallen; degraded
• पतितः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतित (प्रातिपदिक; √पत् क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (to implied subject)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying the dharma-teaching as preserved in the Kurma Purana’s discourse tradition

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it teaches that dharma begins with inner restraint and purity of intention; such ethical self-governance is a prerequisite for clearer knowledge of the Self in later spiritual instruction.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes foundational yogic discipline—restraint (yama-like conduct) and limiting acquisition to what supports dharma—aligning with the Kurma Purana’s broader stress on purification before higher contemplation.

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

Not directly; it reflects the shared dharmic ground underlying Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis in the Kurma Purana: ethical restraint is upheld as a common prerequisite for devotion and liberation-oriented practice.