Shloka 70

Prāyaścitta for Theft, Forbidden Foods, Impurity, and Ritual Lapses; Tīrtha–Vrata Remedies; Pativratā Mahātmyam via Sītā and Agni

Devanagari script

चाण्डालान्त्यशवं स्पृष्ट्वा कृच्छ्रं कुर्याद् विशुद्धये / स्पृष्ट्वाभ्यक्तस्त्वसंस्पृश्यमहोरात्रेण शुद्ध्यति

Transliteration

cāṇḍālāntyaśavaṃ spṛṣṭvā kṛcchraṃ kuryād viśuddhaye / spṛṣṭvābhyaktastvasaṃspṛśyamahorātreṇa śuddhyati

Translation

ଚାଣ୍ଡାଳ, ଅନ୍ତ୍ୟଜ କିମ୍ବା ଶବକୁ ସ୍ପର୍ଶ କଲେ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଶୁଦ୍ଧି ପାଇଁ କୃଚ୍ଛ୍ର ପ୍ରାୟଶ୍ଚିତ୍ତ କରିବା ଉଚିତ। କିନ୍ତୁ ସ୍ନାନ କରି ଅଭ୍ୟଙ୍ଗ କରି ପରେ ‘ଅସ୍ପୃଶ୍ୟ’କୁ ସ୍ପର୍ଶ କଲେ ଏକ ଅହୋରାତ୍ରରେ ଶୁଦ୍ଧ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• चाण्डाल: of a caṇḍāla (outcaste)
• चाण्डाल: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाण्डाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषे पूर्वपद-प्रातिपदिक; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• अन्त्य: of the lowest
• अन्त्य: विशेषण-सम्बन्ध (qualifying member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषे पूर्वपद-प्रातिपदिक; समासाङ्ग

• शवम्: a corpse (of a caṇḍāla/lowest)
• शवम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः: चाण्डाल-अन्त्य-शव (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• स्पृष्ट्वा: having touched
• स्पृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having touched’

• कृच्छ्रम्: the kṛcchra penance
• कृच्छ्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; ‘कृच्छ्र’ नाम प्रायश्चित्तम्

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: क्रिया (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विशुद्धये: for purification
• विशुद्धये: प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदान (Dative purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन), एकवचन; purpose ‘for purification’

• स्पृष्ट्वा: having touched
• स्पृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund)

• अभ्यक्तः: (one who is) anointed/smeared
• अभ्यक्तः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभ्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √अञ्ज् + उपसर्ग अभि, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘smeared/anointed’

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध-निपात (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• असंस्पृश्यम्: an untouchable (person/thing)
• असंस्पृश्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-संस्पृश्य (प्रातिपदिक; √स्पृश्, ल्यप्/यत्-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/नकार-प्रत्यययुक्त ‘not to be touched/untouchable’

• अहोरात्रेण: by (the passing of) a day and night
• अहोरात्रेण: करण (Karana/Instrument: by the lapse of)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहोरात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; समासः: अहः+रात्र (द्वन्द्वः)

• शुद्ध्यति: becomes purified
• शुद्ध्यति: क्रिया (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद/परस्मैपद-प्रयोगः (intransitive ‘becomes pure’)

Speaker

Traditional Purāṇic narrator (instructional dharma section; framed as authoritative teaching within the Kurma Purana’s discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Cāṇḍāla
• Antya
• Śava (corpse)
• Kṛcchra (penance)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse does not directly teach Ātman-doctrine; it focuses on śauca and prāyaścitta (ritual-ethical purification). Indirectly, it reflects the Purāṇic view that disciplined conduct and purification support eligibility for higher spiritual practice and knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific meditation is taught here; the practice highlighted is Kṛcchra (a structured austerity/penance) and time-bound purification (ahorātra). In the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis, such discipline functions as preparatory purification (adhikāra-siddhi) for yoga and devotion.

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

It does not explicitly address Shiva–Vishnu unity; it belongs to the dharma section regulating purity and expiation. The synthesis is contextual: the Purana integrates disciplined dharma (often associated with Shaiva ascetic rigor) with Purāṇic devotion and cosmic order upheld by Hari.