Shloka 60

Aśauca-vidhi — Rules of Birth/Death Impurity, Sapinda Circles, and Śrāddha Sequence

Devanagari script

यावत्तदन्नमश्नाति दुर्भिक्षोपहतो नरः / तावन्त्यहान्यशौचं स्यात् प्रायश्चित्तं ततश्चरेत्

Transliteration

yāvattadannamaśnāti durbhikṣopahato naraḥ / tāvantyahānyaśaucaṃ syāt prāyaścittaṃ tataścaret

Translation

ຜູ້ຊາຍທີ່ຖືກທຸກຍາກຈາກຄວາມອຶດຢາກ ກິນອາຫານນັ້ນດົນເທົ່າໃດ ກໍຈະຢູ່ໃນອາຊົວຈະເທົ່ານັ້ນມື້. ຫຼັງຈາກນັ້ນ ຄວນປະຕິບັດປຣາຍະຊິຕຕະ (prāyaścitta) ຕາມຄວາມເໝາະສົມ.

Word by Word

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Avadhi (अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/संबन्ध-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधिवाचक (as long as/so much as)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अन्नम् इति विशेषण (that)

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• अश्नाति: eats
• अश्नाति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दुर्-भिक्ष-उपहतः: afflicted by famine
• दुर्-भिक्ष-उपहतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + भिक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + उपहत (कृदन्त, उप-√हन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (दुर्भिक्षेण उपहतः); ‘उपहतः’ = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) from उप-√हन् (to strike/afflict)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• तावन्ति: so many
• तावन्ति: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘अहानि’ इति विशेषण (so many)

• अहानि: days
• अहानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/subject), बहुवचन

• अशौचम्: impurity (period)
• अशौचम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/subject), एकवचन

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• प्रायश्चित्तम्: expiation
• प्रायश्चित्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (thereafter/from that)

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

Speaker

Traditional Purāṇic narrator (Vyāsa/compilers’ voice) presenting dharma-rules within the Kurma Purana’s discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily dharma-legal rather than metaphysical: it regulates outer purity (aśauca) and expiation (prāyaścitta) for one compelled by famine, implying that spiritual life is supported by disciplined conduct even under distress.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific yogic technique is taught here; instead, it frames ethical-ritual discipline—observing aśauca and then undertaking prāyaścitta—as a preparatory purity framework that supports higher sādhana, including Shaiva–Vaishnava integrated practice elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

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

It does not directly mention Shiva or Vishnu; its contribution is indirect—by upholding a shared dharma structure (purity, expiation, restraint) that both Shaiva and Vaishnava paths in the Kurma Purana assume as the foundation for devotion and liberation.