Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 4

Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas: Liquor, Theft, Sexual Transgression, Contact with the Fallen, and Homicide

Devanagari script

सुवर्णस्तेयकृद् विप्रो राजानमभिगम्य तु / स्वकर्म ख्यापयन् ब्रूयान्मां भवाननुशास्त्विति

Transliteration

suvarṇasteyakṛd vipro rājānamabhigamya tu / svakarma khyāpayan brūyānmāṃ bhavānanuśāstviti

Translation

ພຣາຫມັນຜູ້ລັກຄໍາ ຄວນເຂົ້າໄປພົບພຣະຣາຊາ ແລະສາລະພາບກຳຂອງຕົນ ກ່າວວ່າ «ຂໍພຣະອົງລົງທັນ/ອົບຮົມຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ»।

Word by Word

• suvarṇa-steya-kṛt: one who has committed gold-theft
• suvarṇa-steya-kṛt: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: suvarṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + steya (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त) ‘कृत्’ (कर्तरि), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुवर्णस्य स्तेयम् → सुवर्णस्तेयम्; तस्य कर्ता)

• vipraḥ: a Brahmin
• vipraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• rājānam: the king
• rājānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• abhigamya: having approached
• abhigamya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi + gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘अभिगम्य’ = having approached

• tu: indeed/then
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थे ‘but/indeed’

• sva-karmā: his own deed
• sva-karmā: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य कर्म)

• khyāpayan: declaring/confessing
• khyāpayan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: khyāpaya (णिजन्त from khyā/khyāp) (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्) परस्मैपदी, पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘कथयन्/प्रकाशयन्’

• brūyāt: should say
• brūyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• bhavān: you (sir)
• bhavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (भवत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; आदरार्थे ‘you’

• anuśāstu: command/instruct (me)
• anuśāstu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu + śās (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

Speaker

Kurma Purana narrator (instructional dharma section; speaker not explicitly marked in the provided verse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• King (Rājā)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes inner truthfulness (confession) and purification of conduct—ethical self-discipline is treated as a prerequisite for higher spiritual realization in Purāṇic dharma.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No technique like dhyāna is stated; the practice implied is moral restraint (yama-like discipline) and purification through truthful confession and acceptance of corrective penance, which supports steadiness for later yoga.

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

It does not mention them directly; it reflects the shared Purāṇic principle upheld in Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis that dharma and purification (śuddhi) are foundational for devotion and yoga directed to Īśvara.