Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 56

Aśauca-vidhi — Rules of Birth/Death Impurity, Sapinda Circles, and Śrāddha Sequence

Devanagari script

अस्थिसंचयनादर्वागेकाहं क्षत्रवैश्ययोः / अन्यथा चैव सज्योतिर्ब्राह्मणे स्नानमेव तु

Transliteration

asthisaṃcayanādarvāgekāhaṃ kṣatravaiśyayoḥ / anyathā caiva sajyotirbrāhmaṇe snānameva tu

Translation

Antes da coleta dos ossos (após a cremação), o período de impureza é de um dia para os kṣatriyas e vaiśyas. Já para um brāhmaṇa, a purificação é imediata: apenas pelo banho.

Word by Word

• अस्थि-संचयनात्: from the collection of bones
• अस्थि-संचयनात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + संचयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/ablative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अस्थ्नां संचयनम्)

• अर्वाक्: before, earlier than
• अर्वाक्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अर्वाक् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक/कालवाचक (adverb: before/earlier)

• एक-अहम्: one day
• एक-अहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + अहन्/अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/accusative), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (एकं अहः)

• क्षत्र-वैश्ययोः: of the Kshatriya and Vaishya
• क्षत्र-वैश्ययोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध/genitive), द्विवचन; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (क्षत्रियश्च वैश्यश्च)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: otherwise)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction: and)

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle: indeed/only)

• स-ज्योतिः: with a lamp/light
• स-ज्योतिः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘सह’) + ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समासः (ज्योतिषा सह)

• ब्राह्मणे: in/for a Brahmin (case)
• ब्राह्मणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण/locative), एकवचन

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/subject), एकवचन

• एव: only
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying the Kurma Purana’s dharma-vidhi on śauca/āśauca

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kṣatriya
• Vaiśya
• Brāhmaṇa
• Asthi-saṃcayana
• Snāna
• Āśauca

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily dharma-vidhi (ritual law) rather than ātma-tattva: it regulates external purity (śauca/āśauca) through time and bathing, not the metaphysics of the Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No explicit yoga practice is taught here; the emphasis is on purification through snāna and time-bound observance after asthi-saṃcayana, which supports ritual fitness for later mantra, worship, and sādhana.

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

It does not directly discuss Śiva–Viṣṇu unity; it reflects the Purana’s broader synthesis by upholding orthodox dharma procedures that frame both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva worship as requiring proper śauca.