Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 35

Rules of Food, Acceptance, and Purity for the Twice-Born

Dvija-Śauca and Anna-Doṣa

Devanagari script

गोधा कूर्मः शशः श्वाविच्छल्यकश्चेति सत्तमाः / भक्ष्याः पञ्चनखा नित्यं मनुराह प्रिजापतिः

Transliteration

godhā kūrmaḥ śaśaḥ śvāvicchalyakaśceti sattamāḥ / bhakṣyāḥ pañcanakhā nityaṃ manurāha prijāpatiḥ

Translation

Ó melhor dos virtuosos: o grande lagarto (godhā), a tartaruga (kūrma), a lebre (śaśa), o porco-espinho (śvāvit) e o animal chamado chalyaka—essas cinco criaturas de cinco garras são declaradas sempre próprias para alimento; assim disse Manu, Prajāpati, Senhor da progênie.

Word by Word

• गोधा: iguana/monitor lizard
• गोधा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (feminine)

• कूर्मः: tortoise
• कूर्मः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (masculine)

• शशः: hare/rabbit
• शशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (masculine)

• श्वावित्-छल्यकः: porcupine and chalyaka (collectively)
• श्वावित्-छल्यकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वावित् (प्रातिपदिक) + छल्यक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (समाहार-द्वन्द्व) ‘श्वावित् च छल्यकः च’; Nominative singular (masculine collective)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-अव्यय

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyārtha-sūcaka (वाक्यार्थ-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-कार (quotative)

• सत्तमाः: the best (ones)
• सत्तमाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; superlative adjective ‘best/most excellent’; Nominative plural (masculine)

• भक्ष्याः: edible/permitted to be eaten
• भक्ष्याः: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण from √भक्ष्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; भविष्यत्/योग्यतार्थक-प्रत्यय (ya) ‘fit to be eaten’; Nominative plural (masculine)

• पञ्च-नखाः: five-clawed animals
• पञ्च-नखाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या, अव्यय-प्राय) + नख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास ‘पञ्च नखाः यस्य/येषां ते’ (five-clawed); Nominative plural (masculine)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• मनुः: Manu
• मनुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (masculine)

• आह: said
• आह: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/आह् (धातु; √अह् ‘to say’, परस्मैपद)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘said/has said’

• प्रजापतिः: lord of creatures (Prajāpati)
• प्रजापतिः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘प्रजानां पतिः’; apposition to मनुः; Nominative singular (masculine)

Speaker

Narrator/Compiler voice citing Manu (Dharma authority) within the Kurma Purana’s dharma section

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Manu
• Prajapati

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It does not directly define Ātman; it supports dharma through discipline of āhāra (diet), which in the Purāṇic framework is a preparatory purity aiding steadiness of mind for higher knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific yoga technique is taught here; the verse contributes to yogic preparedness by regulating food choices (śauca and sāttvika restraint), a common prerequisite for sustained japa, dhyāna, and vrata observances in the Kurma Purana.

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

It does not explicitly discuss Shiva–Vishnu unity; it reflects the shared dharma foundation used by both Shaiva and Vaishnava paths in the Kurma Purana—ethical discipline as the ground for devotion and realization.