Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 6

Dāna-dharma: Types of Charity, Worthy Recipients, Vrata-Timings, and Śiva–Viṣṇu Propitiation

Devanagari script

यत् तु पापोपशान्त्यर्थं दीयते विदुषां करे / नैमित्तिकं तदुद्दिष्टं दानं सद्भिरनुष्ठितम्

Transliteration

yat tu pāpopaśāntyarthaṃ dīyate viduṣāṃ kare / naimittikaṃ taduddiṣṭaṃ dānaṃ sadbhiranuṣṭhitam

Translation

ପାପ ଶାନ୍ତି/ପ୍ରାୟଶ୍ଚିତ୍ତ ନିମିତ୍ତେ ବିଦ୍ୱାନମାନଙ୍କ ହାତରେ ଯେ ଦାନ ଦିଆଯାଏ, ସେହିଟି ‘ନୈମିତ୍ତିକ’ ଦାନ ବୋଲି ଘୋଷିତ; ସଜ୍ଜନମାନେ ଏହାକୁ ବିଧିପୂର୍ବକ କରନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• yat: which (gift)
• yat: Karma (कर्म) (relative-correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; relative pronoun referring to dānam

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (निपात)

• pāpa-upaśānti-artham: for the purpose of pacifying sin
• pāpa-upaśānti-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + upaśānti (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: pāpasya upaśāntiḥ = cessation of sin; upaśānty-artham = for the purpose of cessation

• dīyate: is given
• dīyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; passive

• viduṣām: of the learned
• viduṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidvas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/Genitive), Bahuvacana

• kare: in the hand
• kare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (7th/Locative), Ekavacana

• naimittikam: occasional/causal
• naimittikam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: naimittika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicative adjective qualifying dānam

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म) (correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; correlative pronoun referring to yat

• uddiṣṭam: is designated/defined
• uddiṣṭam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud + diś (धातु)
• Form: Kta (क्त/PPP), Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicative ‘is designated’

• dānam: charity
• dānam: Karma (कर्म) / uddeśya-vastu
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• sadbhis: by the good (people)
• sadbhis: Kartṛ (कर्ता) (agent in passive, expressed instrumentally)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd/Instrumental), Bahuvacana

• anuṣṭhitam: performed/observed
• anuṣṭhitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu + sthā (धातु)
• Form: Kta (क्त/PPP), Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifying dānam

Speaker

Sūta (narrating dharma-teachings of the Kūrma Purāṇa to the sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Vidvān (learned recipient)
• Dāna

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames ethical purification (pāpa-upaśānti) through dharmic action as a preparatory discipline, supporting inner clarity that later teachings associate with Self-knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No direct yogic technique is taught here; the verse emphasizes karmic purification through naimittika-dāna as a supporting limb for sādhana—removing obstacles (pāpa) that hinder meditation and higher knowledge.

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

It does not explicitly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; it reflects the Purāṇa’s shared dharma-ground where purification through righteous acts undergirds later Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava synthesis in devotion and yoga.