Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 24

Śrāddha-vidhi for Pitṛs: Invitations, Purity, Offerings, and Conduct

Devanagari script

दक्षिणामुखयुक्तानि पितॄणामासनानि च / दक्षिणाग्रैकदर्भाणि प्रोक्षितानि तिलोदकैः

Transliteration

dakṣiṇāmukhayuktāni pitṝṇāmāsanāni ca / dakṣiṇāgraikadarbhāṇi prokṣitāni tilodakaiḥ

Translation

പിതൃകൾക്കായി തെക്കോട്ടു മുഖമുള്ള ആസനങ്ങൾ ഒരുക്കണം; തെക്കോട്ടു അഗ്രമുള്ള ഓരോ ദർഭയും വെച്ച്, എള്ളുകലർന്ന ജലത്തോടെ പ്രോക്ഷണം ചെയ്യണം।

Word by Word

• दक्षिणा-मुख-युक्तानि: oriented southward
• दक्षिणा-मुख-युक्तानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from युज्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (दक्षिणामुखेन युक्तानि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (आसनानि)

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• आसनानि: seats
• आसनानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• दक्षिणा-अग्र-एक-दर्भाणि: having a single darbha with its tip to the south
• दक्षिणा-अग्र-एक-दर्भाणि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (दक्षिणाग्रः एकः दर्भः येषां/येषु); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (आसनानि)

• प्रोक्षितानि: sprinkled
• प्रोक्षितानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+उक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; 'sprinkled' (qualifying आसनानि)

• तिल-उदकैः: with sesame-water
• तिल-उदकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (तिलयुक्तम् उदकम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

Speaker

Traditional Purāṇic narrator (instructional voice within the Kurma Purana’s dharma section)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Darbha (Kuśa grass)
• Tila (sesame)
• Dakṣiṇā (south direction)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily procedural (śrāddha setup) rather than metaphysical; it supports dharma by prescribing disciplined ritual order, which the Purana elsewhere treats as a means for inner purification conducive to knowledge of the Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No direct yoga technique is taught here; the emphasis is on ritual purity and correct orientation (dik-niyama) in Pitṛ rites, which functions as a preparatory discipline (niyama-like restraint) within the broader Kurma Purana framework that also includes Pashupata-oriented spiritual practice.

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

The verse itself does not mention Shiva–Vishnu unity; it reflects the shared dharma-ritual culture accepted across Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions in the Kurma Purana, where correct ancestral rites are upheld alongside later synthetic theology.