Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 14

Śrāddha-vidhi for Pitṛs: Invitations, Purity, Offerings, and Conduct

Devanagari script

दक्षिणाप्रवणं स्निग्धं विभक्तं शुभलक्षणम् / शुचिं देशं विविक्तं च गोमयेनोपलेपयेत्

Transliteration

dakṣiṇāpravaṇaṃ snigdhaṃ vibhaktaṃ śubhalakṣaṇam / śuciṃ deśaṃ viviktaṃ ca gomayenopalepayet

Translation

Hendaklah disediakan tempat yang suci dan terpencil—condong lembut ke arah selatan, licin dan kemas, dipisahkan dengan baik serta bertanda mulia—lalu tanah yang disucikan itu disapukan dengan tahi lembu.

Word by Word

• दक्षिणाप्रवणम्: sloping southward
• दक्षिणाप्रवणम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of देशम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिणा + प्रवण (प्रातिपदिक); दक्षिणा-प्रवण (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (दक्षिणायां प्रवणम् = sloping to the south) qualifying देशम्

• स्निग्धम्: smooth/unctuous
• स्निग्धम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of देशम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्निग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• विभक्तम्: well-separated/marked off
• विभक्तम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of देशम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विभक्त (कृदन्त; √भज् (धातु) + वि, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, ‘separated/partitioned’

• शुभलक्षणम्: having auspicious marks
• शुभलक्षणम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of देशम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक); शुभ-लक्षण (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (शुभं लक्षणं यस्य) qualifying देशम्

• शुचिम्: pure/clean
• शुचिम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of देशम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with देशम्)

• देशम्: place/spot
• देशम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• विविक्तम्: secluded
• विविक्तम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of देशम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविक्त (कृदन्त; √विच्/√विविच् (धातु) + वि, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, विशेषण

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• गोमयेन: with cow-dung
• गोमयेन: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोमय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrument)

• उपलेपयेत्: should plaster/smear
• उपलेपयेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लिप् (धातु) + उप उपसर्ग
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense ‘to smear/plaster’ (denominative/ṇij-like usage)

Speaker

Traditional narrator voice within the Kurma Purana’s dharma/ritual instruction (contextually framed as puranic teaching attributed to Lord Kurma’s guidance in the broader dialogue tradition).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Gomaya (cow-dung)
• Deśa (ritual ground)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it teaches that realization requires sādhana supported by purity and order—preparing an auspicious, secluded, sanctified space helps steady the mind for contemplation of the Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights preparatory disciplines (aṅga) for meditation—selecting a secluded, clean place and performing deśa-śuddhi (purification of the site), which supports dhyāna and mantra-japa in the Kurma Purana’s yogic-ritual framework.

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

By emphasizing shared dharma-yoga preliminaries rather than sectarian markers: the same purity and meditative protocols underpin both Shaiva (including Pāśupata-oriented) and Vaishnava worship in the Kurma Purana’s synthesis.