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Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 11

Karma-yoga Discipline for the Twice-born: Upanayana, Upavīta Conduct, Guru-veneration, and Alms-regimen

सव्यं बाहुं समुद्धृत्य दक्षिणे तु धृतं द्विजाः / प्राचीनावीतमित्युक्तं पित्र्ये कर्मणि योजयेत्

savyaṃ bāhuṃ samuddhṛtya dakṣiṇe tu dhṛtaṃ dvijāḥ / prācīnāvītamityuktaṃ pitrye karmaṇi yojayet

Mengangkat lengan kiri dan meletakkan benang suci pada bahu kanan—wahai dvija (yang dua kali lahir)—susunan ini disebut prācīnāvīta. Hendaklah ia digunakan dalam upacara untuk para leluhur (pitṛ-karman).

savyamleft
savyam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootsavya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of bāhum
bāhumarm
bāhum:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootbāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
samuddhṛtyahaving lifted
samuddhṛtya:
Kriyā (क्रिया-पूर्वक)
TypeVerb
Rootsam-ud-√hṛ (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृत्)
Formअव्ययकृदन्त (ल्यप्), ‘having lifted up’
dakṣiṇeon the right
dakṣiṇe:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootdakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; ‘on the right (side/shoulder)’
tubut/indeed
tu:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle)
dhṛtamworn/held
dhṛtam:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√dhṛ (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
Formकृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘held/worn’
dvijāḥO twice-born (Brahmins)
dvijāḥ:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootdvija (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे/कर्तृवाचक (addressing the twice-born)
prācīna-āvītamprācīnāvīta (reverse wearing of the thread)
prācīna-āvītam:
Karma (कर्म/विधेय)
TypeNoun
Rootprācīna + āvīta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय-समास (प्राचीनं च तत् आवीतम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; name of the mode
itithus
iti:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
Formउद्धरण/इति-शब्द (quotative particle)
uktamis called/said
uktam:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
Formकृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘is called/said’
pitryein rites for the ancestors
pitrye:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpitrya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; विशेषण of karmaṇi (in ancestral rite)
karmaṇiin the ritual/action
karmaṇi:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootkarman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन
yojayetshould employ/apply
yojayet:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√yuj (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense not marked here—simple ‘should apply/use’

Sūta (narrator) conveying the Kurma Purana’s dharma-vidhi to the sages

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

P
Pitṛs (ancestors)
D
Dvija (twice-born)

FAQs

This verse is primarily procedural (dharma-vidhi) rather than metaphysical; it emphasizes disciplined performance of pitṛ-karmas, which in Purāṇic thought supports inner purity (śuddhi) that becomes a foundation for Atman-knowledge.

No direct yogic technique is taught here; the focus is karma-śuddhi through correct ritual conduct—an auxiliary discipline that the Kurma Purana frequently treats as supportive to higher sādhanā such as Pāśupata-oriented devotion and contemplation.

The verse itself does not mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; indirectly, it reflects the Purāṇa’s synthesis where proper dharma (including pitṛ-rites) complements devotion to Īśvara, whether approached through Śaiva or Vaiṣṇava forms.