Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

पतितव्यङ्गचण्डालानुच्छिष्टान् नावलोकयेत् / नाभिभाषेत च परमुच्छिष्टो वावगुण्ठितः

Transliteration

patitavyaṅgacaṇḍālānucchiṣṭān nāvalokayet / nābhibhāṣeta ca paramucchiṣṭo vāvaguṇṭhitaḥ

Translation

ਪਤਿਤ, ਅੰਗ-ਵਿਕਾਰ ਵਾਲੇ ਅਤੇ ਚੰਡਾਲ—ਜੇ ਉਹ ਉੱਛਿਸ਼ਟ (ਅਸ਼ੁੱਧ) ਹਾਲਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੋਣ ਤਾਂ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਵੱਲ ਤੱਕਣਾ ਵੀ ਨਹੀਂ; ਅਤੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਬੋਲਣਾ ਵੀ ਨਹੀਂ—ਖ਼ਾਸ ਕਰਕੇ ਜਦੋਂ ਆਪ ਬਹੁਤ ਉੱਛਿਸ਼ਟ ਹੋਵੋ ਜਾਂ ਆਵਗੁੰਠਿਤ (ਢੱਕੇ/ਵੇਲ੍ਹੇ) ਹੋਵੋ।

Word by Word

• patita-vyaṅga-caṇḍālān: fallen persons, the deformed, and caṇḍālas
• patita-vyaṅga-caṇḍālān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patita-vyaṅga-caṇḍāla (प्रातिपदिक; पतित + व्यङ्ग + चण्डाल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ucchiṣṭān: impure/leftover-eaters (unclean)
• ucchiṣṭān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ucchiṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-प्रयोग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• avalokayet: should look at
• avalokayet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-lok (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• abhibhāṣeta: should speak to/address
• abhibhāṣeta: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपद

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• param: another person
• param: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ucchiṣṭaḥ: (one who is) impure/with leftovers
• ucchiṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ucchiṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-प्रयोग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• avaguṇṭhitaḥ: covered/veiled
• avaguṇṭhitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ava-guṇṭh (धातु) → avaguṇṭhita (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्त (PPP)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying dharma-śāstric injunctions as taught in the Kurma Purana’s discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Caṇḍāla
• Patita

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames external purity and restraint of senses/speech as preparatory disciplines; in the Kurma Purana’s broader teaching, such niyamas stabilize the mind so it can turn inward toward the Self and the Lord.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes ethical restraint (yama/niyama-like discipline): guarding sight and speech during states of impurity. In the Kurma Purana’s larger sādhanā-arc, these restraints support steadiness (śama, dama) needed for mantra, worship, and yogic contemplation.

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

This verse is primarily an ācāra injunction, not a theological unity statement; however, the Kurma Purana’s synthesis treats such dharmic restraints as common foundations for both Śaiva (Pāśupata) and Vaiṣṇava devotion and yoga.