Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

चाण्डालकूपभाण्डेषु यदि ज्ञानात् पिबेज्जलम् / चरेत् सांतपनं कृच्छ्रं ब्राह्मणः पापशोधनम्

Transliteration

cāṇḍālakūpabhāṇḍeṣu yadi jñānāt pibejjalam / caret sāṃtapanaṃ kṛcchraṃ brāhmaṇaḥ pāpaśodhanam

Translation

ਜੇਕਰ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ ਜਾਣਬੁੱਝ ਕੇ ਚੰਡਾਲ ਦੇ ਖੂਹ ਜਾਂ ਭਾਂਡੇ ਦਾ ਪਾਣੀ ਪੀ ਲਵੇ, ਤਾਂ ਪਾਪ ਸ਼ੁੱਧੀ ਲਈ ਉਸਨੂੰ ਸਾਂਤਪਨ ਕ੍ਰਿਛ ਵਰਤ ਕਰਨਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• चाण्डाल-कूप-भाण्डेषु: in caṇḍāla wells/vessels
• चाण्डाल-कूप-भाण्डेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाण्डाल (प्रातिपदिक) + कूप (प्रातिपदिक) + भाण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः — Locative: 'in vessels/wells of a caṇḍāla'

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तबोधक अव्यय (conditional particle) — 'if'

• ज्ञानात्: knowingly
• ज्ञानात्: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; Ablative: 'knowingly/from knowledge'

• पिबेत्: should drink
• पिबेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; 'should drink'

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Object

• चरेत्: should perform
• चरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; 'should practice'

• सांतपनम्: Sāṃtapana (penance)
• सांतपनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांतपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Object of चरेत्

• कृच्छ्रम्: severe
• कृच्छ्रम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् to सांतपनम् — 'severe'

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Subject

• पाप-शोधनम्: sin-cleansing
• पाप-शोधनम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + शोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पापस्य शोधनम्) — adjective to सांतपनम् (understood)

Speaker

Traditional Purāṇic narrator (Vyāsa/disciplic narration) prescribing dharma and prāyaścitta

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Caṇḍāla
• Sāṃtapana-kṛcchra

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is not an Ātman-metaphysics teaching; it operates at the level of varṇāśrama-dharma and karmic purification, prescribing prāyaścitta to restore ritual and ethical fitness.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No contemplative yoga is taught directly; the practice here is tapas as prāyaścitta—undertaking the Sāṃtapana-kṛcchra austerity—showing the Purāṇa’s dharmic discipline that complements (but is distinct from) the later Pāśupata-yoga instructions in the Upari-bhāga.

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

It does not explicitly discuss Śiva–Viṣṇu unity; it reflects the shared Purāṇic framework where dharma, tapas, and purification are upheld as universally valid supports for spiritual life across Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava traditions.