Previous Verse
Next Verse

Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17

Kali-yuga Doṣas, the Supremacy of Rudra as Refuge, and the Closure of the Manvantara Teaching

आसनस्थान् द्विजान् दृष्ट्वा न चलन्त्यल्पबुद्धयः / ताडयन्ति द्विजेन्द्रांश्च शूद्रा राजोपजीविनः

āsanasthān dvijān dṛṣṭvā na calantyalpabuddhayaḥ / tāḍayanti dvijendrāṃśca śūdrā rājopajīvinaḥ

Ao ver os dvija sentados em lugares de honra, os de pouca inteligência não se levantam em respeito. E os Śūdra que vivem servindo aos reis chegam a agredir os dvijendra, os mais eminentes entre os dvija.

āsana-sthānseated; sitting on seats
āsana-sthān:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeAdjective
Rootāsana (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (āsane sthitān)
dvijānBrahmins/twice-born
dvijān:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootdvija (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
dṛṣṭvāhaving seen
dṛṣṭvā:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootdṛś (धातु)
Formकृदन्त—क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having seen)
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)
calantimove; step aside
calanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootcal (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
alpa-buddhayaḥthe dull-witted
alpa-buddhayaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (alpā buddhir yeṣām)
tāḍayantibeat; strike
tāḍayanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
TypeVerb
Roottāḍ (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
dvija-indrānchief Brahmins
dvija-indrān:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootdvija (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (dvijānām indrān = best among the twice-born)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक
śūdrāḥŚūdras
śūdrāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootśūdra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
rāja-upajīvinaḥthose who live by serving the king
rāja-upajīvinaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootrājan (प्रातिपदिक) + upajīvin (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (rājñaḥ upajīvinaḥ)

Sūta (narrating the Purāṇic discourse on dharma and social disorder to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

D
dvija
Ś
śūdra
R
rāja (king)

FAQs

Indirectly: by condemning disrespect and violence, it frames dharma as the necessary ground for inner purification; without ethical restraint, the mind is unfit for Atman-knowledge emphasized elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

No specific technique is taught in this verse; it supports the yogic prerequisite of yama-like discipline (non-violence, humility, reverence), which the Kurma Purana connects to higher practice such as Pāśupata-oriented devotion and self-control.

It does not name Śiva or Viṣṇu directly; it aligns with the Purāṇa’s broader synthesis by stressing dharma as a shared foundation for devotion to the one Supreme revered through both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava forms.