Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

सत्क्रियां देशकालौ च शौचं ब्राह्मणसंपदम् / पञ्चैतान् विस्तरो हन्ति तस्मान्नेहेत विस्तरम्

Transliteration

satkriyāṃ deśakālau ca śaucaṃ brāhmaṇasaṃpadam / pañcaitān vistaro hanti tasmānneheta vistaram

Translation

സത്ക്രിയ, ദേശ-കാലം, ശൗചം, ബ്രാഹ്മണസമ്പത്ത്—ഈ അഞ്ചും അതിവിസ്താരത്താൽ നശിക്കുന്നു; അതിനാൽ കർമത്തിൽ അനാവശ്യ പ്രപഞ്ചം തേടരുത്।

Word by Word

• सत्क्रियाम्: proper rite/service
• सत्क्रियाम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: सत् + क्रिया (कर्मधारय); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• देशकालौ: place and time
• देशकालौ: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देशकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: देश + काल (द्वन्द्व); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), द्विवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• शौचम्: purity/cleanliness
• शौचम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणसंपदम्: the wealth/resource of Brahmins (i.e., availability of Brahmins)
• ब्राह्मणसंपदम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मणसंपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: ब्राह्मण + संपद् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/सम्बन्ध); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: विशेषण (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषण; (अव्ययवत्) द्वितीया (2nd) बहुवचनार्थे ‘five’

• एतान्: these
• एतान्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• विस्तरः: elaboration/expansion
• विस्तरः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• हन्ति: destroys/ruins
• हन्ति: क्रिया (verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: हेतु (Hetu/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-निष्पन्न/निपातवत्; हेत्वर्थे ‘therefore’ (ablatival adverb)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• ईहेत: should attempt/undertake
• ईहेत: क्रिया (verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विस्तरम्: elaboration
• विस्तरम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing the sages (contextual dharma-upadeśa)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Dharma (ritual propriety)
• Deśa-kāla (place-time propriety)
• Śauca (purity)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it prioritizes dharmic essentials over outward excess, aligning with the Purāṇic (and Yoga-śāstra) view that inner purity and right intention support realization more than ritual display.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes restraint (niyama-like discipline): śauca (purity), appropriateness (deśa-kāla), and avoiding overcomplication—principles that support steadiness of mind and effective sādhanā in the Kurma Purana’s broader yogic ethic.

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

By teaching a shared dharma framework—purity, discipline, and avoidance of hollow ritualism—this aligns with the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis where devotion and practice are validated across traditions when grounded in essential dharma.