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Shloka 12

Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas — Brahmahatyā, Association with the Fallen, and Tīrtha-Based Purification

ब्रह्माहा द्वादशाब्दानि कुटिं कृत्वा वने वसेत् / भैक्षमात्मविशुद्ध्यर्थं कृत्वा शवशिरोध्वजम्

brahmāhā dvādaśābdāni kuṭiṃ kṛtvā vane vaset / bhaikṣamātmaviśuddhyarthaṃ kṛtvā śavaśirodhvajam

ຜູ້ໃດທີ່ຂ້າພຣາຫມັນ ຄວນສ້າງກຸດິໜຶ່ງ ແລ້ວຢູ່ໃນປ່າຕະຫຼອດສິບສອງປີ; ເພື່ອຊຳລະຈິດໃຈໃຫ້ບໍລິສຸດ ຄວນດຳລົງຊີວິດດ້ວຍບິນທະບາດ ແລະຖືທຸງທີ່ມີເຄື່ອງໝາຍເປັນຫົວສົບ।

ब्रह्महाa Brahmin-slayer
ब्रह्महा:
कर्ता (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्महन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘ब्रह्महन्’ (ब्राह्मणहन्ता)
द्वादशtwelve
द्वादश:
विशेषण (कर्मविशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootद्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययवत् संख्या; ‘अब्दानि’ इति विशेषणम् (twelve)
अब्दानिyears
अब्दानि:
कर्म (कालपरिमाण)
TypeNoun
Rootअब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कालपरिमाण (years)
कुटिम्a hut
कुटिम्:
कर्म (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकुटि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
कृत्वाhaving made
कृत्वा:
पूर्वकाल (क्रियाविशेषण/अव्यय)
TypeVerb
Root√कृ (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययकृदन्त; ‘having made’
वनेin the forest
वने:
अधिकरण (स्थान)
TypeNoun
Rootवन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन
वसेत्should dwell
वसेत्:
क्रिया (विधान)
TypeVerb
Root√वस् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
भैक्षम्alms (begging)
भैक्षम्:
कर्म (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootभैक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
आत्मविशुद्ध्यर्थम्for self-purification
आत्मविशुद्ध्यर्थम्:
प्रयोजन (उद्देश्य)
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन् + विशुद्धि + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: आत्मनः विशुद्धिः यस्य अर्थः = for the purpose of self-purification
कृत्वाhaving made
कृत्वा:
पूर्वकाल (क्रियाविशेषण/अव्यय)
TypeVerb
Root√कृ (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययकृदन्त
शवशिरोध्वजम्a banner/standard of a corpse’s head
शवशिरोध्वजम्:
कर्म (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootशव + शिरस् + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: शवस्य शिरः ध्वजः यस्य/शवशिरो-ध्वजम् (as an object to make/assume)

Sūta (narrating the Kurma Purana’s dharma-teachings as received from the sages)

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: karuna

B
Brāhmaṇa
B
Brahmahatyā
P
Prāyaścitta
V
Vana (forest life)
B
Bhaikṣa (alms)

FAQs

It presents ātma-viśuddhi (purification of the self) as the aim of penance, implying that ethical discipline and austerity are meant to cleanse the inner person so the Self may be fit for higher realization.

The verse emphasizes tapas-based purification: forest-dwelling (vānaprastha-like restraint), living on alms (bhaikṣa), and adopting an outward sign of remorse—practices that support self-control, humility, and inner cleansing aligned with Purāṇic Yoga-dharma.

Indirectly: the Kurma Purana’s synthesis frames purification and dharma as universally binding disciplines leading toward the one Supreme—often expressed through both Shaiva and Vaishnava idioms—without making this verse sectarian.