Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 35

Brahmacārin-Dharma: Guru-Sevā, Daily Vedic Study, Gāyatrī-Japa, and Anadhyāya Regulations

Devanagari script

भ्रातुर्भार्योपसंग्राह्या सवर्णाहन्यहन्यपि / विप्रोष्य तूपसंग्राह्या ज्ञातिसंबन्धियोषितः

Transliteration

bhrāturbhāryopasaṃgrāhyā savarṇāhanyahanyapi / viproṣya tūpasaṃgrāhyā jñātisaṃbandhiyoṣitaḥ

Translation

Ainda que ela seja da mesma varṇa, jamais—nem dia após dia—se deve tomar a esposa do próprio irmão. Somente no caso de o irmão ter partido e estar ausente ou desaparecido é que, conforme a regra aqui enunciada, pode-se tomar uma mulher aparentada pelo vínculo familiar.

Word by Word

• भ्रातुः: of (one’s) brother
• भ्रातुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• भार्या: wife
• भार्या: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative/उद्देश्य), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• उपसंग्राह्या: should be accepted/received
• उपसंग्राह्या: Vidhi (विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-सम्-ग्रह् (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: यत्-कृत्य (gerundive/obligatory), प्रथमा एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्ग; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• सवर्णा: of the same varṇa/class
• सवर्णा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्ग; विशेषण (qualifier)

• अहनि: on a day
• अहनि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• अहनि: day by day
• अहनि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी एकवचन नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पुनरुक्ति (reduplication for distributive sense)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (also/even)

• विप्रोष्य: having gone away/being away
• विप्रोष्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि-प्र-वस्/उष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेष (but/indeed)

• उपसंग्राह्या: should be accepted
• उपसंग्राह्या: Vidhi (विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-सम्-ग्रह् (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: यत्-कृत्य (gerundive), प्रथमा एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्ग; विधेय-विशेषण

• ज्ञाति: kinsman/relative
• ज्ञाति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक (stem) used as first member in compound

• संबन्धि: connected/related
• संबन्धि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संबन्धिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative): ज्ञाति-संबन्धि = ‘related to a kinsman’; प्रातिपदिक as compound member

• योषितः: women (female relatives)
• योषितः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योषित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), स्त्रीलिङ्ग; समास-समस्तपद: ज्ञाति-संबन्धि-योषितः = ‘women related to kinsmen’

Speaker

Suta (narrator) conveying dharma-instructions of the Kurma Purana’s teaching section

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: shanta

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily dharma-śāstra in tone, focusing on social-ethical restraint (niyama). In the Kurma Purana’s broader spiritual arc, such restraint supports inner purity that becomes a prerequisite for steadiness in yoga and contemplation of the Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No direct yogic technique is taught here; instead it emphasizes ethical discipline—avoiding forbidden relations—which functions as a foundational niyama (conduct-restraint) supporting later Pāśupata-oriented practice and mental steadiness.

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

It does not explicitly discuss Śiva–Viṣṇu unity; it contributes to the Kurma Purana’s shared dharma framework that undergirds both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava paths, preparing the practitioner for later integrative teachings.