Uttara Bhaga Adhyaya 16 Shloka 14 - Kurma Purana | Malayalam | Vedapath

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Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 14

Dharma of Non-Injury, Non-Stealing, Purity, and Avoidance of Hypocrisy (Ācāra and Saṅkarya-Nivṛtti)

Devanagari script

बैडालव्रतिनः पापा लोके धर्मविनाशकाः / सद्यः पतन्ति पापेषु कर्मणस्तस्य तत् फलम्

Transliteration

baiḍālavratinaḥ pāpā loke dharmavināśakāḥ / sadyaḥ patanti pāpeṣu karmaṇastasya tat phalam

Translation

‘ബൈഡാലവ്രതം’ അനുഷ്ഠിക്കുന്ന ആ പാപികൾ—ലോകത്തിൽ ധർമ്മം നശിപ്പിക്കുന്ന കപടർ—ഉടൻ തന്നെ പാപത്തിലേക്ക് പതിക്കുന്നു; അത്തരം കർമ്മത്തിന്റെ ഫലം ഇതുതന്നെ.

Word by Word

बैडालव्रतिनःthose observing the ‘cat-vow’ (hypocritical ascetics)

पापाःsinful

लोकेin the world

धर्मविनाशकाःdestroyers of dharma

सद्यःimmediately

पतन्तिthey fall

पापेषुinto/among sins (sinful states)

कर्मणःof the action/deed

तस्यof that

तत्that

फलम्fruit/result

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu), instructing on dharma and condemning hypocritical observances

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

Lord Kurma

Vishnu

Dharma

FAQs

How does this verse explain the moral logic of karma (karma-phala)?

It states that hypocritical, dharma-destroying conduct produces an immediate downfall into sin—karma bears fruit in direct proportion to the intention and impact of the act.

What spiritual discipline is implicitly discouraged here, in contrast to true Yoga and vrata?

It discourages outward austerity used as a disguise (the ‘cat-like vow’), implying that authentic discipline must be rooted in inner purity, truthfulness, and non-harm rather than mere appearance.

How does this teaching fit the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis?

By prioritizing dharma and inner integrity over sectarian display, it aligns with the Purana’s integrative stance: devotion and practice—whether framed through Vishnu or Shiva—must be sincere and ethically grounded.