Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 50

Avimukta-Māhātmya — Vyāsa in Vārāṇasī and Śiva’s Secret Teaching of Liberation

Devanagari script

यजेत जुहुयान्नित्यं ददात्यर्चयते ऽमरान् / वायुभक्षश्च सततं वाराणस्यां स्तितो नरः

Transliteration

yajeta juhuyānnityaṃ dadātyarcayate 'marān / vāyubhakṣaśca satataṃ vārāṇasyāṃ stito naraḥ

Translation

വാരാണസിയിൽ വസിക്കുന്ന മനുഷ്യൻ നിത്യം യജ്ഞം നടത്തി ഹോമാർപ്പണം ചെയ്യണം, ദാനം നൽകണം, അമരദേവന്മാരെ അർച്ചിക്കണം; കൂടാതെ സദാ സംയമത്തോടെ, വായുഭക്ഷണമെന്നപോലെ തപസ്സായ ജീവിതം നയിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• यजेत: should sacrifice/worship
• यजेत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• जुहुयात्: should offer (oblations)
• जुहुयात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; संहितायां ‘जुहुयात् + नित्यं’ इत्यत्र त्-लोपादि/अनुस्वार-सन्धिना ‘जुहुयान्नित्यं’

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative: always)

• ददाति: gives
• ददाति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; संहितायां ‘ददाति + अर्चयते’ → ‘ददात्यर्चयते’ (इ + अ = य)

• अर्चयते: worships
• अर्चयते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु; णिच्)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative/denominative sense: worships)

• अमरान्: the gods
• अमरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• वायु-भक्षः: living on air
• वायु-भक्षः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (वायुम् भक्षयति/भक्ष्यं यस्य = air-eater; i.e., living on air)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• सततम्: constantly
• सततम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative: constantly)

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī
• वाराणस्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• स्थितः: staying/abiding
• स्थितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘नरः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

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

Speaker

Sūta (traditional narrator) conveying tīrtha-māhātmya instruction within the Kurma Purana’s discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)
• Amarāḥ (Devas)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes purification through yajña, dāna, and tapas—disciplines that steady the mind and make it fit to recognize the Self beyond ritual action.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Austerity and restraint (tapas/saṃyama) are stressed through the idea of being ‘vāyubhakṣa’ (living with extreme fasting/breath-sustained discipline), alongside daily sacred action (nitya-karma) that supports inner steadiness.

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

By focusing on Kāśī and deva-worship without sectarian exclusion, it reflects the Purāṇic synthesis where disciplined practice and tīrtha-centered worship can be oriented toward the one Supreme reality revered through Shaiva and Vaishnava forms.