Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 78

Daily Duties of Brāhmaṇas: Snāna, Sandhyā, Sūrya-hṛdaya, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and the Pañca-mahāyajñas

Devanagari script

स्फाटिकेन्द्राक्षरुद्राक्षैः पुत्रजीवसमुद्भवः / कर्तव्या त्वक्षमाला स्यादुत्तरादुत्तमा स्मृता

Transliteration

sphāṭikendrākṣarudrākṣaiḥ putrajīvasamudbhavaḥ / kartavyā tvakṣamālā syāduttarāduttamā smṛtā

Translation

ਸਫਟਿਕ, ਇੰਦ੍ਰਾਖ਼ਸ਼ ਅਤੇ ਰੁਦ੍ਰਾਖ਼ਸ਼ ਦੇ ਮਣਕਿਆਂ ਨਾਲ, ਅਤੇ ਪੁੱਤਰਜੀਵ ਨੂੰ ਮੁੱਖ/ਮੂਲ ਮਣੀ ਬਣਾ ਕੇ ਅਖ਼ਸ਼ਮਾਲਾ ਬਣਾਉਣੀ ਚਾਹੀਦੀ ਹੈ; ਇਹ ‘ਉੱਤਮ ਤੋਂ ਵੀ ਉੱਤਮ’ ਮੰਨੀ ਗਈ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• स्फाटिकेन्द्राक्षरुद्राक्षैः: with crystal, indrākṣa and rudrākṣa beads
• स्फाटिकेन्द्राक्षरुद्राक्षैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्फाटिक-इन्द्राक्ष-रुद्राक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; स्फाटिक + इन्द्राक्ष + रुद्राक्ष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; समासः द्वन्द्वः (sphāṭika, indrākṣa, rudrākṣa)

• पुत्रजीवसमुद्भवः: made from putrajīva (seeds)
• पुत्रजीवसमुद्भवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्रजीव-समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक; पुत्रजीव + समुद्भव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (arisen from putrajīva)

• कर्तव्या: should be made
• कर्तव्या: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तव्य (कृदन्त, तव्यत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive; ‘to be made’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (adversative/emphatic particle)

• अक्षमाला: rosary
• अक्षमाला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष-माला (प्रातिपदिक; अक्ष + माला)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (bead-garland)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• उत्तरात्: than the former
• उत्तरात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य), पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; तुलनार्थे अपादान (ablative of comparison)

• उत्तमा: the best/superior
• उत्तमा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्मृता: is said/considered
• स्मृता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘is considered’

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic instruction delivered within the teaching context; traditionally conveyed by Vyāsa/compilers as śāstra-vacana)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Rudraksha
• Akshamala
• Putrajiva
• Sphatika

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes disciplined japa supported by proper sādhana-tools; in the Kurma Purana’s synthesis, such focused repetition steadies the mind toward realization of the inner Self beyond fluctuations.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Mantra-japa aided by an akṣamālā. The verse specifies materials (sphāṭika, indrakṣa, rudrākṣa, and putrajīva) as conducive supports for regulated repetition—an auxiliary practice aligned with Pāśupata-oriented devotion and yogic concentration.

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

By normalizing rudrākṣa (Śiva-associated) as a valid and even superior aid within a Purāṇic framework that also upholds Vaiṣṇava devotion—reflecting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis in practice.