Shloka 55

Aśauca-vidhi — Rules of Birth/Death Impurity, Sapinda Circles, and Śrāddha Sequence

Devanagari script

अनस्थिसंचिते शूद्रे रौति चेद् ब्राह्मणः स्वकैः / त्रिरात्रं स्यात् तथाशौचमेकाहं त्वन्यथा स्मृतम्

Transliteration

anasthisaṃcite śūdre rauti ced brāhmaṇaḥ svakaiḥ / trirātraṃ syāt tathāśaucamekāhaṃ tvanyathā smṛtam

Translation

अस्थिसंचयन न झालेल्या शूद्रासाठी ब्राह्मणाने आपल्या स्वजनांसह रडारड व विलाप केला तर त्याचे आशौच तीन रात्री राहते; अन्यथा एक दिवसच मानले आहे।

Word by Word

• अनस्थिसंचिते: in a Shudra (corpse) without bones / bonelessly collected
• अनस्थिसंचिते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन् + अस्थि + संचित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अस्थि-रहित-संचित’ (अन्-नञ् + अस्थि + संचित) इति तत्पुरुष; विशेषणम् (शूद्रे)

• शूद्रे: in the case of a Shudra
• शूद्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रौति: weeps
• रौति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रु (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; अर्थ: ‘weeps/cries’

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-अव्यय (if)

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वकैः: with his own (people/relatives)
• स्वकैः: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (सह/करण), बहुवचन; ‘स्वकीयैः (जनैः)’ इत्यर्थे

• त्रिरात्रम्: three nights
• त्रिरात्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘तीन रात्रयः’ इति तत्पुरुष

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus/so)

• अशौचम्: impurity (period)
• अशौचम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एकाहम्: one day
• एकाहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘एक दिन’ इति तत्पुरुष

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय (but)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (otherwise)

• स्मृतम्: is stated/remembered
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अर्थ: ‘is remembered/declared (in smṛti)’

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing on dharma

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Śūdra
• Āśauca

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse does not directly teach ātma-tattva; it lays down dharma-śāstra guidance on āśauca, showing how embodied social-religious duties are regulated even while higher spiritual teachings elsewhere (e.g., the Ishvara Gita) point beyond ritual conditions.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No yogic technique is taught in this verse; it belongs to the Kurma Purana’s dharma section, emphasizing disciplined conduct (niyama-like social restraint) that traditionally supports a sādhaka’s steadiness and eligibility for mantra, worship, and later yoga instruction.

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

The verse is procedural rather than theological; within the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis, such dharma rules are presented by Lord Kūrma as a universal framework, while the text elsewhere integrates devotion and liberation teachings associated with both Shiva (Pāśupata) and Vishnu.