Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 62

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

Devanagari script

अनारोग्यमनायुष्यमस्वर्ग्यं चातिभोजनम् / अपुण्यं लोकविद्विष्टं तस्मात् तत्परिवर्जयेत्

Transliteration

anārogyamanāyuṣyamasvargyaṃ cātibhojanam / apuṇyaṃ lokavidviṣṭaṃ tasmāt tatparivarjayet

Translation

അതിഭോജനം ആരോഗ്യത്തെ നശിപ്പിക്കുന്നു, ആയുസ്സ് കുറയ്ക്കുന്നു, സ്വർഗ്ഗഹിതത്തെ തടയുന്നു. അത് അപുണ്യവും ലോകനിന്ദിതവും ആകയാൽ അതിനെ ഒഴിവാക്കണം.

Word by Word

• अनारोग्यम्: unhealthy
• अनारोग्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन् (नञ्) + आरोग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (विषय), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/नञ्-पूर्वपद; ‘unhealthy’

• अनायुष्यम्: not conducive to long life
• अनायुष्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन् (नञ्) + आयुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वपद; ‘life-shortening’

• अस्वर्ग्यम्: not heavenly/meritless for heaven
• अस्वर्ग्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन् (नञ्) + स्वर्ग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वपद; ‘not leading to heaven’

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

• अति-भोजनम्: overeating
• अति-भोजनम्: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष/प्रादि-तत्पुरुष; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (विषय), एकवचन

• अपुण्यम्: non-meritorious
• अपुण्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन् (नञ्) + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वपद; ‘sinful/non-meritorious’

• लोक-विद्विष्टम्: hated by people
• लोक-विद्विष्टम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + विद्विष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; √द्विष् क्त)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य विद्विष्टम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘hated by people/world’

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-रूपेण हेत्वर्थे अव्ययवत् (ablative used adverbially): ‘therefore/from that reason’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• परिवर्जयेत्: should avoid
• परिवर्जयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-वृज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing King Indradyumna (didactic discourse on dharma and disciplined living)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Indradyumna

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by warning against overeating, it supports mastery over the senses (indriya-nigraha), which is a prerequisite for steady contemplation of the Atman beyond bodily cravings.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes yogic moderation (mitāhāra) and restraint, aligning with preparatory disciplines that stabilize body and mind for dhyāna; overeating is presented as an obstacle to tapas and inner focus.

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

Though not naming Shiva directly, the ethic of restraint is shared across Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis: the same dharmic-yogic discipline supports devotion to the one Supreme (Hari-Hara unity in practice).