Shloka 103

Daily Duties of Brāhmaṇas: Snāna, Sandhyā, Sūrya-hṛdaya, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and the Pañca-mahāyajñas

Devanagari script

यदि स्यात् तर्पणादर्वाक् ब्रह्मयज्ञः कृतो न हि / कृत्वा मनुष्ययज्ञं वै ततः स्वाध्यायमाचरेत्

Transliteration

yadi syāt tarpaṇādarvāk brahmayajñaḥ kṛto na hi / kṛtvā manuṣyayajñaṃ vai tataḥ svādhyāyamācaret

Translation

ತರ್ಪಣಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಮೊದಲು ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಯಜ್ಞ (ಸ್ವಾಧ್ಯಾಯ) ನೆರವೇರಿಸದಿದ್ದರೆ, ಮೊದಲು ಮಾನುಷ್ಯಯಜ್ಞ ಮಾಡಿ ನಂತರ ಸ್ವಾಧ್ಯಾಯವನ್ನು ಆಚರಿಸಬೇಕು.

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: सम्बन्ध (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तसूचक (conditional particle)

• स्यात्: should be / were to be
• स्यात्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• तर्पणात्: from tarpaṇa (libation)
• तर्पणात्: अपादान (Apadana/From)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन

• अर्वाक्: before/earlier
• अर्वाक्: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अर्वाक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालवाचक (before/below; here: earlier than)

• ब्रह्मयज्ञः: the brahma-yajña
• ब्रह्मयज्ञः: कर्ता/विषय (Subject/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• कृतः: done/performed
• कृतः: कर्तृविशेषण/विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृ धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; कर्मणि-भावे (done/performed)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (for/indeed)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• मनुष्ययज्ञम्: man-sacrifice (hospitality to humans)
• मनुष्ययज्ञम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: मनुष्याणां यज्ञः

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/अनुनासिक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: सम्बन्ध (Sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तर (thereafter/from that)

• स्वाध्यायम्: self-study (Vedic recitation)
• स्वाध्यायम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आचरेत्: should practice/perform
• आचरेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying the Kurma Purana’s dharma-instructions in context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma-yajña
• Manuṣya-yajña
• Tarpaṇa
• Svādhyāya

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames svādhyāya (scriptural self-study) as a compulsory means of right knowledge, which in the Purāṇic-śāstric view culminates in understanding the Self and the Lord through śruti/smṛti-based inquiry.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Not aṣṭāṅga-yoga directly; the practice emphasized is svādhyāya—disciplined recitation and study—treated as a daily sādhana that purifies the mind and supports higher contemplation taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana, including Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis themes.

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

This verse is procedural (nitya-karma) rather than theological; it supports the Purana’s broader integrative approach by grounding spiritual realization in shared dharma practices—hospitality, tarpaṇa, and sacred study—common across Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions.