Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 16

Gṛhastha Livelihood, Āpad-dharma, and Sacrificial Stewardship of Wealth

Devanagari script

वर्तयंस्तु शिलोञ्छाभ्यामग्निहोत्रपरायणः / इष्टीः पार्वायणान्तीयाः केवला निर्वपेत् सदा

Transliteration

vartayaṃstu śiloñchābhyāmagnihotraparāyaṇaḥ / iṣṭīḥ pārvāyaṇāntīyāḥ kevalā nirvapet sadā

Translation

शिलोञ्छ व उञ्छ यांद्वारे उपजीविका करीत, अग्निहोत्रपरायण होऊन, तो नेहमी पार्वायण-व्रतांच्या अंत्यकर्मासाठी विहित केवळ साध्या इष्ट्या अर्पण करील।

Word by Word

• वर्तयन्: maintaining/continuing (his livelihood)
• वर्तयन्: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्तय् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी धातोः (वर्तयति)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• शिलोञ्छाभ्याम्: by the two means of śiloñchā (gleaning)
• शिलोञ्छाभ्याम्: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिलोञ्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd, Instrumental), द्विवचन

• अग्निहोत्रपरायणः: devoted to the agnihotra
• अग्निहोत्रपरायणः: विशेषण (Adjectival to implied subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्निहोत्र + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (अग्निहोत्रे परायणः)

• इष्टीः: oblations/sacrificial offerings
• इष्टीः: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd, Accusative), बहुवचन

• पार्वायणान्तीयाः: connected with the end of the pārvāyaṇa rite
• पार्वायणान्तीयाः: विशेषण (Adjectival to इष्टीः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पार्वायण + अन्तीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd, Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (पार्वायणस्य अन्ते भवा/सम्बद्धा)

• केवलाः: only/sole (offerings)
• केवलाः: विशेषण (Adjectival to इष्टीः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd, Accusative), बहुवचन

• निर्वपेत्: should offer/perform
• निर्वपेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्√वप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सदा: always
• सदा: अधिकरण (Adverbial/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Traditional Purāṇic narrator (Vyāsa/Śaunaka-style narrative voice) teaching dharma within the Kurma Purana’s instruction section

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Agnihotra
• Iṣṭi
• Pārvāyaṇa

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it presents disciplined, desire-reducing livelihood and daily sacred duty as a purifying foundation—preparing the mind for Atman-knowledge taught more explicitly in the Kurma Purana’s higher yoga and Ishvara-centered instruction.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes karma-yoga-like purification through niyama: austere maintenance (śiloñcha/uñcha), steadiness in Agnihotra, and regular simplified iṣṭi rites—ritual discipline that supports later meditative absorption in the Purāṇa’s yoga framework.

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

By itself it focuses on Vedic duty rather than sectarian identity; in the Kurma Purana’s synthesis, such Vedic observance is upheld as a shared dharmic ground that can culminate in devotion to the one Supreme (Hari-Hara unity) taught elsewhere in the text.