Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 18

Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas — Brahmahatyā, Association with the Fallen, and Tīrtha-Based Purification

Devanagari script

कुर्यादनशनं वाथ भृगोः पतनमेव वा / ज्वलन्तं वा विशेदग्निं जलं वा प्रविशेत् स्वयम्

Transliteration

kuryādanaśanaṃ vātha bhṛgoḥ patanameva vā / jvalantaṃ vā viśedagniṃ jalaṃ vā praviśet svayam

Translation

അവൻ അനശനം (മരണാന്ത ഉപവാസം) ചെയ്യാം; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ഭൃഗുപതനം എന്നപോലെ കുന്നിൻ ചരിവിൽ നിന്ന് വീഴാം; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ജ്വലിക്കുന്ന അഗ്നിയിൽ പ്രവേശിക്കാം; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ സ്വയം ജലത്തിൽ പ്രവേശിക്കാം।

Word by Word

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• अनशनम्: fasting (complete abstention from food)
• अनशनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: समुच्चय/विकल्प (Coordination/Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• अथ: then/else
• अथ: सम्बन्ध-बोधक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/प्रस्ताव-निपात (sequencing particle)

• भृगोः: of Bhṛgu
• भृगोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पतनम्: falling down; (a rite of) prostration/fall
• पतनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• वा: or
• वा: समुच्चय/विकल्प (Coordination/Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• ज्वलन्तम्: blazing
• ज्वलन्तम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ज्वल् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अग्निम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वा: or
• वा: समुच्चय/विकल्प (Coordination/Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• विशेत्: should enter
• विशेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √विश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्गः वि-

• अग्निम्: fire
• अग्निम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• वा: or
• वा: समुच्चय/विकल्प (Coordination/Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• प्रविशेत्: should enter
• प्रविशेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √विश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्गः प्र-

• स्वयम्: oneself
• स्वयम्: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Agent-qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मार्थक (reflexive adverb)

Speaker

Narratorial/legal-dharma voice of the Purana (instructional passage within the Kurma Purana’s dharma teaching context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It does not directly define Atman; instead, it frames dharma as weighty enough that one may accept extreme self-denial as expiation—implying the primacy of inner moral accountability over bodily comfort.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes tapas (austerity) in the form of anaśana (fasting) and other severe vows as penitential discipline; this is adjacent to yogic self-control (yama/niyama) rather than a technical meditation instruction.

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

It does not name Shiva or Vishnu; its contribution to the Kurma Purana’s synthesis is indirect—grounding later Shaiva-Vaishnava spiritual teachings in a shared dharma framework of restraint, expiation, and ethical purification.