Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 13

Dharma of Non-Injury, Non-Stealing, Purity, and Avoidance of Hypocrisy (Ācāra and Saṅkarya-Nivṛtti)

Devanagari script

अलिङ्गी लिङ्गिवेषेण यो वृत्तिमुपजीवति / स लिङ्गिनां हरेदेनस्तिर्यग्योनौ च जायते

Transliteration

aliṅgī liṅgiveṣeṇa yo vṛttimupajīvati / sa liṅgināṃ haredenastiryagyonau ca jāyate

Translation

ਜੋ ਅਸਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਸੰਨਿਆਸੀ ਨਹੀਂ, ਪਰ ਸੰਨਿਆਸੀ ਦਾ ਭੇਸ ਧਾਰ ਕੇ ਰੋਜ਼ੀ ਕਮਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ਸੱਚੇ ਤਪੱਸਵੀਆਂ ਦਾ ਪੁੰਨ ਹੜਪ ਲੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ; ਉਸ ਪਾਪ ਕਰਕੇ ਉਹ ਤਿਰਯਕ-ਯੋਨੀ (ਪਸ਼ੂ ਜਨਮ) ਵਿੱਚ ਵੀ ਜਨਮ ਲੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• अलिङ्गी: without the (proper) marks/insignia
• अलिङ्गी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + लिङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (to implied person)

• लिङ्गिवेषेण: by the dress of a marked/ascetic person
• लिङ्गिवेषेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्गिन् + वेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (लिङ्गिनः वेषः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• वृत्तिम्: livelihood
• वृत्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उपजीवति: lives by; subsists on
• उपजीवति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लिङ्गिनाम्: of those bearing the marks/insignia
• लिङ्गिनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• हरेत्: would take away; would incur
• हरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एनः: sin; guilt
• एनः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तिर्यग्योनौ: in an animal womb/birth
• तिर्यग्योनौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिर्यक् + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तिर्यग्-योनिः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• जायते: is born
• जायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu), instructing on dharma and false asceticism

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• ascetics (liṅgins)
• dharma
• tiryagyoni (animal birth)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies that spiritual life is grounded in inner truth (antar-bhāva) rather than external signs; alignment with the Self requires sincerity and purity, not mere costume.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds yama-like ethical restraints—truthfulness and non-deception—as prerequisites for Yoga; without moral integrity, outer “yogic” appearance becomes adharma and obstructs spiritual realization.

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

By stressing inner realization over sectarian or external markers, it supports the Purana’s integrative stance: authentic devotion and discipline—whether framed in Shaiva-Pashupata or Vaishnava terms—depend on inner purity, not outward labels.