Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8

Varnāśrama-Krama, Vairāgya as the Ground of Saṃnyāsa, and Brahmārpaṇa Karma-yoga

Devanagari script

वानप्रस्थाश्रमं गत्वा न गृहं प्रविशेत् पुनः / न संन्यासी वनं चाथ ब्रह्माचर्यं न साधकः

Transliteration

vānaprasthāśramaṃ gatvā na gṛhaṃ praviśet punaḥ / na saṃnyāsī vanaṃ cātha brahmācaryaṃ na sādhakaḥ

Translation

ବାନପ୍ରସ୍ଥ ଆଶ୍ରମକୁ ଗଲେ ପୁଣି ଗୃହସ୍ଥ ଘରକୁ ପ୍ରବେଶ କରିବା ଉଚିତ ନୁହେଁ। ସେପରି ସନ୍ନ୍ୟାସୀ ବାନପ୍ରସ୍ଥ ରୀତିକୁ ଫେରିବେ ନାହିଁ; ଏବଂ ସାଧକ ନିଜ ଯଥୋଚିତ ସାଧନାଧର୍ମ ଛାଡ଼ି ବ୍ରହ୍ମଚର୍ୟ ଅବସ୍ଥାକୁ ପଛକୁ ଯିବେ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• vānaprastha-āśramam: the vānaprastha stage (hermit order)
• vānaprastha-āśramam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānaprastha (प्रातिपदिक) + āśrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठीभाव: वानप्रस्थस्य आश्रमः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Kriya (क्रिया/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• gṛham: home
• gṛham: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• praviśet: should enter
• praviśet: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√viś (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक (adverb: again)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• saṃnyāsī: a renunciant
• saṃnyāsī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃnyāsin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• vanam: the forest
• vanam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction: and)

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/समुच्चयार्थक (then/and)

• brahmacaryam: celibate studentship
• brahmacaryam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmacarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• sādhakaḥ: a practitioner/aspirant
• sādhakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing on dharma

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Kūrma
• Varnāśrama-dharma
• Vānaprastha
• Saṃnyāsa
• Brahmacarya

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it teaches steadiness (niṣṭhā) and non-regression in one’s vowed life, a prerequisite for inner purification by which realization of the Self becomes possible in the Kurma Purana’s dharmic-yogic framework.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes āśrama-niyama—firm adherence to one’s chosen life-stage and discipline. In the Kurma Purana’s yoga-ethics, such stability supports tapas, sense-restraint, and sustained sādhana that later culminate in meditative absorption.

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

By presenting a shared dharmic foundation for liberation—ethical discipline and renunciation—this aligns with the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis: the same supreme teaching (whether framed through Śiva/Pāśupata or Viṣṇu/Kūrma) requires unwavering commitment to sādhana.