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Shloka 93

Śrāddha-vidhi for Pitṛs: Invitations, Purity, Offerings, and Conduct

मृताहनि तु कर्तव्यमेकोदिष्टं विधानतः / अशौचे स्वे परिक्षीणे काम्यं वै कामतः पुनः

mṛtāhani tu kartavyamekodiṣṭaṃ vidhānataḥ / aśauce sve parikṣīṇe kāmyaṃ vai kāmataḥ punaḥ

ಮರಣದ ದಿನವೇ ವಿಧಿಯಂತೆ ಏಕೋದಿಷ್ಟ ಶ್ರಾದ್ಧವನ್ನು ನಿಶ್ಚಯವಾಗಿ ಮಾಡಬೇಕು. ತನ್ನ ಅಶೌಚಾವಧಿ ಮುಗಿದ ನಂತರ, ಇಚ್ಛೆಯಂತೆ ಕಾಮ್ಯ ಕರ್ಮಗಳನ್ನು ಮತ್ತೆ ಆಚರಿಸಬಹುದು.

mṛtāhanion the day of death
mṛtāhani:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootmṛta (कृदन्त; √mṛ धातु, क्त) + ahan (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-सदृश समास: ‘मृतस्य अहनि’ = on the day of death
tuindeed/but
tu:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
Formविशेष/विरोधार्थक अव्यय
kartavyamshould be performed
kartavyam:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/विधेय)
TypeAdjective
Rootkartavya (कृदन्त; √kṛ धातु, तव्यत्)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative) — ‘to be done/should be done’
ekodiṣṭamthe ekodiṣṭa rite (single oblation śrāddha)
ekodiṣṭam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rooteka + udiṣṭa (कृदन्त; ud-√diś धातु, क्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘एकं च तत् उदिष्टम्’— a single (rite) called ekodiṣṭa
vidhānataḥaccording to the prescribed rule
vidhānataḥ:
Pramāṇa/Anusāra (प्रमाण/अनुसार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvidhāna (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल्)
Formतसिलन्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘according to rule/prescription’
aśauceduring impurity (mourning)
aśauce:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootaśauca (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन
svein one’s own (impurity)
sve:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsva (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘in one’s own (case/state)’
parikṣīṇewhen it has ended
parikṣīṇe:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpari-√kṣi (क्षि धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त — ‘when (it is) exhausted/ended’
kāmyama kāmya (optional desire-based rite)
kāmyam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkāmya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; ‘desire-motivated (rite)’
vaiindeed
vai:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvai (अव्यय)
Formनिश्चयार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)
kāmataḥas desired/at will
kāmataḥ:
Prakāra (प्रकार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkāma (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल्)
Formतसिलन्त अव्यय: ‘according to desire/at will’
punaḥagain/thereafter
punaḥ:
Kāla (काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpunaḥ (अव्यय)
Formपुनरुक्ति/पुनः-कालवाचक अव्यय (again/afterwards)

Sūta (narrator) relaying the Kurma Purana’s dharma-śāstra instruction (śrāddha and aśauca context)

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

E
Ekoddiṣṭa Śrāddha
A
Aśauca
Ś
Śrāddha

FAQs

This verse is primarily dharma-vidhi (ritual law) rather than metaphysics: it regulates conduct after death in order to uphold ṛta/dharma. The implied spiritual principle is that disciplined duty (niyama) supports inner purity, which is a prerequisite for higher knowledge of the Self taught elsewhere in the Purana.

No direct yogic technique is taught here; the emphasis is on niyama—observance of prescribed rites (ekoddiṣṭa) and respecting aśauca boundaries. In the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis, such disciplined observance stabilizes the mind and prepares one for devotion and yoga taught in later doctrinal portions.

The verse does not explicitly mention Shiva–Vishnu unity; it presents shared dharma applicable across sectarian lines. In the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis, śrāddha and purity rules are treated as universal supports for bhakti and yoga directed to the one Supreme (Īśvara) revered as both Shiva and Vishnu in different contexts.