Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

दृष्टिपूतं न्यसेत् पादं वस्त्रपूतं जलं पिबेत् / सत्यपूतां वदेद् वाणीं मनः पूतं समाचरेत्

Transliteration

dṛṣṭipūtaṃ nyaset pādaṃ vastrapūtaṃ jalaṃ pibet / satyapūtāṃ vaded vāṇīṃ manaḥ pūtaṃ samācaret

Translation

ശ്രദ്ധാപൂർവമായ ദൃഷ്ടിയാൽ ശുദ്ധീകരിച്ചശേഷം മാത്രമേ പാദം വെക്കൂ; വസ്ത്രംകൊണ്ട് ചുരന്ന് ശുദ്ധമാക്കിയ ജലം കുടിക്കൂ; സത്യത്താൽ ശുദ്ധമായ വാക്കുകൾ പറയൂ; ശുദ്ധമായ മനസ്സോടെ പ്രവർത്തിക്കൂ.

Word by Word

• दृष्टि-पूतम्: purified by (one’s) sight
• दृष्टि-पूतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + पूत (कृदन्त; √पू पवने/शोधने)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विशेषण—‘दृष्ट्या पूतम्’ (purified by sight)

• न्यसेत्: should place/set down
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √न्यस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; विधि—‘should place’

• पादम्: foot/step
• पादम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• वस्त्र-पूतम्: cloth-filtered
• वस्त्र-पूतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पूत (कृदन्त; √पू पवने/शोधने)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; कृदन्त-क्त, विशेषण—‘वस्त्रेण पूतम्’ (purified/filtered by cloth)

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• पिबेत्: should drink
• पिबेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should drink’

• सत्य-पूताम्: truth-purified
• सत्य-पूताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पूत (कृदन्त; √पू पवने/शोधने)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; कृदन्त-क्त, विशेषण—‘सत्येन पूताम्’ (purified by truth)

• वदेत्: should speak
• वदेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should speak’

• वाणीम्: speech/words
• वाणीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (मनस्-शब्द; रूपम्: मनः)

• पूतम्: purified
• पूतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूत (कृदन्त; √पू पवने/शोधने)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; कृदन्त-क्त, विशेषण—‘purified’ (agreeing with मनः)

• समाचरेत्: should practice/act
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should practice/perform’

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic instruction within a dharma/ācāra section; framed as authoritative teaching in the Kurma Purana tradition)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By emphasizing purification of sight, speech, and mind, the verse points to inner clarity as the prerequisite for Self-knowledge: when the mind is purified, it becomes fit to recognize the Atman beyond sensory and moral impurities.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights preparatory yogic discipline (yama–niyama style): mindful walking (attention and non-harm), physical purity (filtered water), truth-governed speech, and mental purification—supporting steadiness for mantra, meditation, and devotion in the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis.

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

Indirectly, it reflects the shared dharmic-yogic foundation honored across Shaiva and Vaishnava paths: purity, truth, and mental discipline are presented as universal prerequisites for approaching the one Supreme Reality revered in both traditions.