Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 25

Vānaprastha-Dharma: Forest Discipline, Vaikhānasa Austerities, and Śiva-Āśrama as the Liberative Refuge

Devanagari script

चान्द्रायणविधानैर्वा शुक्ले कृष्णे च वर्तयेत् / पक्षे पक्षे समश्नीयाद् यवागूं क्वथितां सकृत्

Transliteration

cāndrāyaṇavidhānairvā śukle kṛṣṇe ca vartayet / pakṣe pakṣe samaśnīyād yavāgūṃ kvathitāṃ sakṛt

Translation

അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ചാന്ദ്രായണ വ്രതവിധിപ്രകാരം ശുക്ല‑കൃഷ്ണ പക്ഷങ്ങളിൽ നിയന്ത്രണത്തോടെ ജീവിക്കണം; ഓരോ പക്ഷത്തിലും ഒരിക്കൽ മാത്രം സമമാത്രയിൽ വേവിച്ച യവാഗൂ (യവകഞ്ഞി) സ്വീകരിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• चान्द्रायण-विधानैः: by the rules of Cāndrāyaṇa
• चान्द्रायण-विधानैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चान्द्रायण (प्रातिपदिक) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चान्द्रायणस्य विधानैः)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विकल्पार्थक)

• शुक्ले: in the bright (fortnight)
• शुक्ले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; पक्षनाम

• कृष्णे: in the dark (fortnight)
• कृष्णे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; पक्षनाम

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

• वर्तयेत्: should practice/observe
• वर्तयेत्: Vidhi-kriyā (विधेयक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु) (वर्तयति = causative)
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त (causative) धातु; विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पक्षे: in a fortnight
• पक्षे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• पक्षे: in each fortnight
• पक्षे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (distributive)

• समश्नीयात्: should eat
• समश्नीयात्: Vidhi-kriyā (विधेयक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यवागूम्: barley gruel
• यवागूम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यवागू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• क्वथिताम्: boiled
• क्वथिताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्वथ् (धातु) → क्वथित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; यवागू-विशेषण

• सकृत्: once
• सकृत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (संख्यावाचक/परिमाणवाचक adverb)

Speaker

Vyasa (narrative voice) describing dharma/prāyaścitta discipline to the sages

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Cāndrāyaṇa
• śukla-pakṣa
• kṛṣṇa-pakṣa
• yavāgū

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames bodily discipline (niyama/tapas) as a purificatory support for inner clarity, which traditional Purāṇic yoga uses to steady the mind toward Self-knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Austerity through regulated diet (āhāra-niyama) in the Cāndrāyaṇa pattern—observing waxing/waning fortnights and taking a single measured meal—serves as tapas that supports concentration and restraint.

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

Not explicitly; it reflects the Kurma Purana’s shared dharma framework in which purification-vratas are common preparatory disciplines for devotion and yoga across Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis.