Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 30

Vānaprastha-Dharma: Forest Discipline, Vaikhānasa Austerities, and Śiva-Āśrama as the Liberative Refuge

Devanagari script

पञ्चाग्निर्धूमपो वा स्यादुष्मपः सोमपो ऽपि वा / पयः पिबेच्छुक्लपक्षे कृष्णापक्षे तु गोमयम् / शीर्णपर्णाशनो वा स्यात् कृच्छ्रैर् वा वर्तयेत् सदा

Transliteration

pañcāgnirdhūmapo vā syāduṣmapaḥ somapo 'pi vā / payaḥ pibecchuklapakṣe kṛṣṇāpakṣe tu gomayam / śīrṇaparṇāśano vā syāt kṛcchrair vā vartayet sadā

Translation

Pode assumir a austeridade dos ‘cinco fogos’ (pañcāgni), ou viver ‘bebendo fumaça’, ou ‘bebendo vapor quente’, ou até subsistir de soma. Na quinzena clara (śukla pakṣa) deve beber leite; mas na quinzena escura (kṛṣṇa pakṣa) deve tomar esterco de vaca. Ou pode viver de folhas caídas e ressequidas; assim deve sempre manter-se por severas disciplinas expiatórias (kṛcchra).

Word by Word

• पञ्च-अग्निः: one practicing the five fires
• पञ्च-अग्निः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु (one with five fires / pañcāgnitapas)

• धूम-पः: smoke-drinker (one who inhales smoke as austerity)
• धूम-पः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूम (प्रातिपदिक) + पा (धातु; पिबति)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (धूमं पिबति इति)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• उष्म-पः: heat-drinker (one who takes in heat)
• उष्म-पः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उष्म (प्रातिपदिक) + पा (धातु)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (उष्माणं/उष्मं पिबति)

• सोम-पः: Soma-drinker
• सोम-पः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक) + पा (धातु)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (सोमं पिबति)

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

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• पयः: milk
• पयः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पिबेत्: should drink
• पिबेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शुक्ल-पक्षे: in the bright fortnight
• शुक्ल-पक्षे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (bright fortnight)

• कृष्ण-पक्षे: in the dark fortnight
• कृष्ण-पक्षे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (dark fortnight)

• तु: but/and
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषणार्थक-निपात

• गोमयम्: cow-dung
• गोमयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोमय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शीर्ण-पर्ण-आशनः: one who eats fallen leaves
• शीर्ण-पर्ण-आशनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीर्ण (कृदन्त; √शॄ/शॄण्) + पर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + आशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (शीर्णानि पर्णानि आशनं यस्य / one whose food is fallen leaves)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कृच्छ्रैः: by severe penances
• कृच्छ्रैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'कृच्छ्र' = severe penances (as means)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• वर्तयेत्: should subsist/continue
• वर्तयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्/वर्त् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'should maintain oneself/continue'

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing on dharma and tapas

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Kūrma (Viṣṇu)
• Soma

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes purification through restraint and tapas, preparing the practitioner’s body-mind for steadiness and insight, which the Purāṇa elsewhere links to realizing the Self beyond impurities.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights ascetic disciplines (tapas) and kṛcchra-type observances—regulated diet and endurance-based vows—which function as foundational yama/niyama-style practices supporting concentration and higher contemplative yoga.

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

By presenting tapas and purity as universal dharmic means rather than sectarian markers, it supports the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis: the same disciplines serve devotion and realization oriented to either Śiva or Viṣṇu as the one supreme.