Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 3

Vānaprastha-Dharma: Forest Discipline, Vaikhānasa Austerities, and Śiva-Āśrama as the Liberative Refuge

Devanagari script

शुक्लपक्षस्य पूर्वाह्ने प्रशस्ते चोत्तरायणे / गत्वारण्यं नियमवांस्तपः कुर्यात् समाहितः

Transliteration

śuklapakṣasya pūrvāhne praśaste cottarāyaṇe / gatvāraṇyaṃ niyamavāṃstapaḥ kuryāt samāhitaḥ

Translation

ໃນຂ້າງເດືອນຂາວ (ສຸກລະປັກສະ) ໃນຕອນເຊົ້າ ໃນເວລາອັນເປັນມົງຄຸນ ແລະໃນຊ່ວງອຸດຕະຣາຍະນະ (ດວງອາທິດເຄື່ອນໄປທາງເໜືອ) ຄວນເຂົ້າປ່າ. ຜູ້ມີວິໄນໃນຂໍ້ປະພຶດ ແລະຈິດໃຈຮວບຮວມ ຄວນປະກອບຕະປະ (tapas) ດ້ວຍຄວາມຕັ້ງໝັ້ນ.

Word by Word

• śukla-pakṣasya: of the bright fortnight
• śukla-pakṣasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śukla (प्रातिपदिक) + pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya: śuklaḥ pakṣaḥ

• pūrvāhne: in the forenoon
• pūrvāhne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrvāhna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• praśaste: at an auspicious (time)
• praśaste: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praśasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with implied 'kāle' (time)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• uttarāyaṇe: in the northern solstice (uttarāyaṇa)
• uttarāyaṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttarāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), from √gam

• araṇyam: to the forest
• araṇyam: Karma (कर्म/गन्तव्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: araṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• niyamavān: disciplined
• niyamavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niyama-vat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); possessive adjective (मतुप्/वत् प्रत्यय)

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kuryāt: should perform
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• samāhitaḥ: composed, concentrated
• samāhitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-dhā (धातु)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle (क्त) meaning 'collected/intent'

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing on dharma and disciplined tapas (Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis ethos)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Uttarayana
• Shukla-paksha
• Aranya
• Tapas
• Niyama

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes prerequisites—purity, discipline, and mental collectedness—through which the seeker becomes fit to realize the Self beyond ritual timing.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

A niyama-centered approach: regulated observances, withdrawal to a quiet forest setting, and samādhāna (mental one-pointedness) as the basis for sustained tapas and contemplation.

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

By presenting a shared dharma of tapas and inner discipline valued across Shaiva and Vaishnava streams—an integrative spiritual ethic characteristic of the Kurma Purana.