Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 15

Śrāddha-Kāla-Nirṇaya: Proper Times, Nakṣatra Fruits, Tīrtha Merit, and Offerings for Ancestral Rites

Devanagari script

अजैकपादे कुप्यं स्यादहिर्बुध्ने गृहं शुभम् / रेवत्यां बहवो गावो ह्यश्विन्यां तुरगांस्तथा / याम्ये ऽथ जीवनं तत् स्याद्यदि श्राद्धं प्रयच्छति

Transliteration

ajaikapāde kupyaṃ syādahirbudhne gṛhaṃ śubham / revatyāṃ bahavo gāvo hyaśvinyāṃ turagāṃstathā / yāmye 'tha jīvanaṃ tat syādyadi śrāddhaṃ prayacchati

Translation

ଅଜୈକପାଦ ନକ୍ଷତ୍ରରେ ଶ୍ରାଦ୍ଧ ଦେଲେ ପାତ୍ର-ଉପକରଣ ଲଭେ; ଅହିର୍ବୁଧ୍ନରେ ଶୁଭ ଗୃହ ପାଏ। ରେବତୀରେ ବହୁ ଗାଈ ମିଳେ; ଅଶ୍ୱିନୀରେ ସେହିପରି ଘୋଡ଼ା ମିଳେ। ଯାମ୍ୟରେ ବିଧିପୂର୍ବକ ଶ୍ରାଦ୍ଧ ଦେଲେ ଜୀବନଶକ୍ତି ଓ ଦୀର୍ଘାୟୁ ଲଭେ।

Word by Word

• ajaika-pāde: in (the nakṣatra) Ajaikapāda
• ajaika-pāde: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aja (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (nakṣatra-name), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (समाहार/नामधातु-रूपेण): ‘ajaikaḥ pādaḥ’ (proper name)

• kupyām: base metal/utensils (copper etc.)
• kupyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kupya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; object/result

• syāt: would be / would occur
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ahiḥ-budhne: in (the nakṣatra) Ahirbudhna
• ahiḥ-budhne: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahi (प्रातिपदिक) + budhna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (nakṣatra-name), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी): ‘aher budhnaḥ’ (proper name)

• gṛham: house
• gṛham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; object/result

• śubham: auspicious
• śubham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; agrees with gṛham

• revatyām: in (the nakṣatra) Revatī
• revatyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: revatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (nakṣatra-name), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; locative

• bahavaḥ: many
• bahavaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; agrees with gāvaḥ

• gāvaḥ: cows
• gāvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; subject (implied ‘syuḥ’)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; emphatic particle (निपात)

• aśvinyām: in (the nakṣatra) Aśvinī
• aśvinyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśvinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (nakṣatra-name), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; locative

• turagān: horses
• turagān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: turaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; object (things obtained)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb

• yāmye: in (the nakṣatra) Yāmya
• yāmye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yāmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (nakṣatra-name), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; locative

• atha: then, moreover
• atha: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; discourse particle

• jīvanam: livelihood, life
• jīvanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; object/result

• tat: that
• tat: Anuvāda/Prayojya (अनुवाद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• syāt: would be
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• yadi: if
• yadi: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conditional conjunction

• śrāddham: śrāddha offering/rite
• śrāddham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; object of prayacchati

• prayacchati: gives, offers
• prayacchati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yam (धातु) with preverb pra- (प्र + √यम्)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) recounting the Kurma Purana’s dharma-teaching on Śrāddha fruits (as taught in the Kurma Purana dialogue tradition)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Śrāddha
• Pitṛs
• Nakṣatras (Ajaikapāda, Ahirbudhnya, Revatī, Aśvinī, Yāmya)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is not an Ātman-metaphysics passage; it teaches karma-phala within Pitṛ-dharma—how properly offered Śrāddha yields specific worldly supports (home, cattle, horses) and even life-extension, reinforcing dharmic causality rather than direct non-dual exposition.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No formal yoga technique is taught here; the practice is ritual discipline (niyama-like observance) through Śrāddha aligned with auspicious lunar mansions, a Kurma Purana dharma framework that complements (but is distinct from) Pāśupata/Yoga teachings found elsewhere.

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

The verse does not explicitly mention Shiva–Vishnu unity; it reflects the Purana’s broader synthesis by prioritizing dharma (Śrāddha for Pitṛs) as universally efficacious, a shared religious ground across Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava observance.