Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 14

Saṃnyāsa-dharma — Qualifications, Threefold Renunciation, and the Conduct of the Yati

Devanagari script

एकवासाथवा विद्वान् कौपीनाच्छादनस्तथा / मुण्डी शिखी वाथ भवेत् त्रिदण्डी निष्परिग्रहः / काषायवासाः सततं ध्यानयोगपरायणः

Transliteration

ekavāsāthavā vidvān kaupīnācchādanastathā / muṇḍī śikhī vātha bhavet tridaṇḍī niṣparigrahaḥ / kāṣāyavāsāḥ satataṃ dhyānayogaparāyaṇaḥ

Translation

വിദ്വാൻ സന്ന്യാസി ഒരൊറ്റ വസ്ത്രം ധരിക്കാം, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ കൗപീനമാത്രം ധരിച്ചു മൂടപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കാം. മുണ്ഡിതനായിരിക്കാം അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ശിഖാധാരിയായിരിക്കാം; ത്രിദണ്ഡം ധരിച്ചു, പരിഗ്രഹരഹിതനായിരിക്കണം. കാഷായവസ്ത്രം ധരിച്ചു സദാ ധ്യാനയോഗത്തിൽ പരായണനായിരിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• eka-vāsaḥ: one-clothed (wearing a single garment)
• eka-vāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka + vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘one-clothed’

• athavā: or
• athavā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive conjunction (विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय)

• vidvān: a learned man
• vidvān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidvas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kaupīna-ācchādanaḥ: one covered with a loincloth
• kaupīna-ācchādanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaupīna + ācchādana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘having loincloth as covering’

• tathā: thus/likewise
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Manner indeclinable (प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय)

• muṇḍī: shaven-headed ascetic
• muṇḍī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muṇḍin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘shaven-headed’

• śikhī: one with a topknot
• śikhī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘with a topknot’

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय)

• atha: then/and
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Connector particle (अनन्तरार्थक/समुच्चयार्थक निपात)

• bhavet: should be
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• tri-daṇḍī: tridaṇḍin (three-staff bearer)
• tri-daṇḍī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri + daṇḍin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘bearer of three staffs’

• niṣ-parigrahaḥ: without possessions
• niṣ-parigrahaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niṣ + parigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); privative ‘without possessions’

• kāṣāya-vāsāḥ: wearer of ochre robes
• kāṣāya-vāsāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāṣāya + vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘wearing ochre garments’

• satatam: always
• satatam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satatam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (नित्यत्ववाचक-अव्यय)

• dhyāna-yoga-parāyaṇaḥ: devoted to meditation-yoga
• dhyāna-yoga-parāyaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhyāna + yoga + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘devoted to meditation-yoga’

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Kurma Purana’s teaching on renunciation as received from the sages/lineage)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Kurma Purana
• Sannyasa Dharma
• Tridanda
• Dhyana Yoga
• Niṣparigraha

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By emphasizing niṣparigraha (non-possession) and constant dhyāna-yoga, the verse points to Self-realization through inner detachment rather than outer status—purifying body, speech, and mind so awareness rests in the Atman.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights dhyāna-yoga as a continuous discipline, supported by renunciate restraints: minimal clothing, simplicity, the tridanda ideal (governing body–speech–mind), and non-grasping (niṣparigraha) as practical foundations for steady meditation.

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

The verse presents a shared yogic-ascetic ideal—ochre robes, meditation, and non-possession—common to both Shaiva (including Pāśupata-oriented) and Vaishnava renunciate streams, reflecting the Kurma Purana’s integrative (non-sectarian) spiritual ethic.