Shloka 4

Karma-yoga Discipline for the Twice-born: Upanayana, Upavīta Conduct, Guru-veneration, and Alms-regimen

Devanagari script

कृतोपनयनो वेदानधीयीत द्विजोत्तमाः / गर्भाष्टमे ऽष्टमे वाब्दे स्वसूत्रोक्तविधानतः

Transliteration

kṛtopanayano vedānadhīyīta dvijottamāḥ / garbhāṣṭame 'ṣṭame vābde svasūtroktavidhānataḥ

Translation

ഉപനയനസംസ്കാരം കഴിഞ്ഞ ദ്വിജോത്തമൻ വേദാധ്യയനം ചെയ്യണം—ഗർഭഗണനപ്രകാരം എട്ടാം വർഷത്തിലോ, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ജനനത്തിൽ നിന്ന് എട്ടാം വർഷത്തിലോ—സ്വഗൃഹ്യസൂത്രത്തിൽ പറഞ്ഞ വിധിപ്രകാരം।

Word by Word

• kṛta-upanayanaḥ: having undergone upanayana
• kṛta-upanayanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृ-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय) + upanayana (उपनयन-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुं), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन); kta-participle used adjectivally: 'one whose upanayana is done'

• vedān: the Vedas
• vedān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (वेद-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुं), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• adhīyīta: should study
• adhīyīta: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi-√i (अधि+इ-धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/Optative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd/प्रथम), Ekavacana (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• dvija-uttamāḥ: the best of the twice-born
• dvija-uttamāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (द्विज-प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (उत्तम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुं), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); संबोधनार्थे/विधिवाक्ये कर्तृवाचकः

• garbha-aṣṭame: in the eighth (year) from conception
• garbha-aṣṭame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative-time)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: garbha (गर्भ-प्रातिपदिक) + aṣṭama (अष्टम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसक/पुं-समासान्त-प्रयोग; Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (एकवचन); 'in the eighth (year) from conception' (locative of time)

• aṣṭame: in the eighth (year)
• aṣṭame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative-time)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭama (अष्टम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (एकवचन); locative of time: 'in the eighth (year)'

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (वा-अव्यय)
• Form: Vikalpa-avyaya (विकल्प/particle of alternative)

• abde: in the year
• abde: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative-time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abda (अब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुं), Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (एकवचन); locative of time: 'in the year'

• sva-sūtra-ukta-vidhānataḥ: according to the procedure stated in one’s own sūtra
• sva-sūtra-ukta-vidhānataḥ: Hetu/Prakāra (हेतु/प्रकार/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sva (स्व-प्रातिपदिक) + sūtra (सूत्र-प्रातिपदिक) + ukta (वच्-धातु, क्त) + vidhāna (विधान-प्रातिपदिक) + -tas (तस्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Tasil-avyaya (तसिल्/ablatival adverb) formed with -tas (तस्): 'according to/from the rule stated in one’s own sūtra'

Speaker

Traditional Purāṇic narrator (instructional dharma-teaching voice; framed within the Kurma Purana’s discourse to sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Upanayana
• Veda
• Dvija
• Sutra (Grihya-sutra)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse does not directly define Ātman; it establishes the dharmic prerequisite—upanayana and disciplined Vedic study—through which scriptural knowledge (śruti) later reveals the Self and the Supreme.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes brahmacarya as a foundational discipline: regulated initiation and Vedic study according to one’s sūtra. In Kurma Purana’s larger synthesis, such discipline supports later yogic practice (including Pāśupata-oriented restraint and inner purification).

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

It does not explicitly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; its contribution is structural—affirming Varnāśrama-based śāstra-discipline that the Kurma Purana uses as a shared ground for Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava synthesis in later teachings.