Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 22

Varnāśrama-Krama, Vairāgya as the Ground of Saṃnyāsa, and Brahmārpaṇa Karma-yoga

Devanagari script

कर्मणा क्षीयते पापमैहिकं पौर्विकं तथा / मनः प्रसादमन्वेति ब्रह्म विज्ञायते ततः

Transliteration

karmaṇā kṣīyate pāpamaihikaṃ paurvikaṃ tathā / manaḥ prasādamanveti brahma vijñāyate tataḥ

Translation

ധർമ്മയുക്തമായ കര്‍മത്താൽ ഈ ജന്മത്തിലെയും പൂർവ്വജന്മത്തിലെയും പാപം ക്ഷയിക്കുന്നു. തുടർന്ന് മനസ്സിൽ പ്രസാദം ഉദിക്കുന്നു; അതിലൂടെ ബ്രഹ്മത്തെ യഥാർത്ഥമായി അറിയുന്നു.

Word by Word

• कर्मणा: by action
• कर्मणा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन

• क्षीयते: is diminished
• क्षीयते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is diminished)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन

• ऐहिकम्: worldly (of this life)
• ऐहिकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐहिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (पापम्)

• पौर्विकम्: former/previous (from past)
• पौर्विकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पौर्विक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (पापम्)

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha/Upapada (सम्बन्ध/उपपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रसादम्: clarity/serenity
• प्रसादम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• अन्वेति: attains/follows
• अन्वेति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-इ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• विज्ञायते: is realized
• विज्ञायते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is known/realized)

• ततः: thereafter/from that
• ततः: Hetu/Apādāna-artha (हेतु/अपादानार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्-अर्थे (ablatival adverb: ‘thereafter/from that’)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing the seeker within a dharma-yoga framework

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Karma
• Pāpa (sin)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies that realization of Brahman (the Supreme Self) is not forced by mere theory; it dawns when karmic impurity is attenuated and the mind becomes serene (manaḥ-prasāda), enabling direct knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights karma-yoga as a purificatory discipline: performing dharmic action to exhaust pāpa (both present-life and past-life), which produces mental clarity (prasāda). That purified mind becomes fit for contemplation and knowledge of Brahman.

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

Indirectly, it reflects the Purana’s synthesis: liberation is presented as a shared yogic principle—purification through dharma and inner clarity culminating in Brahman-realization—compatible with both Shaiva (Pāśupata) and Vaishnava (Nārāyaṇa) soteriology.