Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 46

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

Devanagari script

तैलाभ्यक्तो ऽथवा कुर्याद् यदि मूत्रपुरीषके / अहोरात्रेण शुद्ध्येत श्मश्रुकर्म च मैथुनम्

Transliteration

tailābhyakto 'thavā kuryād yadi mūtrapurīṣake / ahorātreṇa śuddhyeta śmaśrukarma ca maithunam

Translation

ਜੇ ਤੇਲ ਲਗੇ ਹੋਏ ਹਾਲਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਮੂਤਰ ਜਾਂ ਪਖਾਨਾ ਹੋ ਜਾਵੇ, ਤਾਂ ਇੱਕ ਦਿਨ-ਰਾਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਸ਼ੁੱਧੀ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈ; ਇਸੇ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਸ਼ਮਸ਼੍ਰੁਕਰਮ (ਦਾੜ੍ਹੀ-ਮੂੰਛ ਸਵਾਰਨਾ) ਅਤੇ ਮੈਥੁਨ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਵੀ ਸ਼ੁੱਧੀ ਦਾ ਵਿਧਾਨ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• तैल-अभ्यक्तः: smeared with oil
• तैल-अभ्यक्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तैल (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्यक्त (कृदन्त; अञ्ज्/अभ्यञ्ज् धातु + क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तैलेन अभ्यक्तः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• अथवा: or
• अथवा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional)

• मूत्र-पुरीषके: in urine and feces (impurity)
• मूत्र-पुरीषके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरीषक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (मूत्रं च पुरीषकं च), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), द्विवचन/बहुवचन-रूपे सप्तमी एकवचनवत् ‘-के’ (प्रयोगः: ‘in urine and feces’)

• अहोरात्रेण: by (the lapse of) a day and night
• अहोरात्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहोरात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (अहः + रात्रिः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• शुद्ध्येत: should become purified
• शुद्ध्येत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद-प्रयोग

• श्मश्रु-कर्म: shaving/beard-related act
• श्मश्रु-कर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मश्रु (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (श्मश्रुणः कर्म), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (सन्दर्भे कर्म-गणना)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• मैथुनम्: sexual intercourse
• मैथुनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैथुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying the Kurma Purana’s dharma-śāstric injunctions on śauca

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Śauca (ritual purity)
• Dharma
• Maithuna
• Śmaśru-karma

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It does not directly define Ātman; instead, it supports the dharmic foundation—external discipline and purity (śauca)—that the Purana treats as preparatory for higher knowledge and yoga leading toward realization.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No direct meditation technique is taught here; the verse emphasizes śauca (purificatory discipline), a prerequisite for mantra-japa, worship, and yogic practice in Purāṇic and Yoga-śāstra frameworks.

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

It does not mention Śiva-Viṣṇu explicitly; it reflects the shared dharma-śāstric ground honored across Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions—ritual purity as a common discipline supporting devotion and yoga.