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Shloka 6

Karma-yoga Discipline for the Twice-born: Upanayana, Upavīta Conduct, Guru-veneration, and Alms-regimen

कार्पासमुपवीतार्थं निर्मितं ब्रह्मणा पुरा / ब्राह्मणानां त्रिवित् सूत्रं कौशं वा वस्त्रमेव वा

kārpāsamupavītārthaṃ nirmitaṃ brahmaṇā purā / brāhmaṇānāṃ trivit sūtraṃ kauśaṃ vā vastrameva vā

В древности Брахма создал хлопок ради упавиты (священного шнура). Для брахманов предписан шнур из трёх нитей; он может быть сделан из волокон травы куша или даже просто из ткани.

kārpāsamcotton (material)
kārpāsam:
Karma (कर्म/Object—material)
TypeNoun
Rootkārpāsa (कार्पास-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (1st/2nd), Ekavacana; here with nirmitam: Prathamā (predicate nominative)
upavīta-arthamfor the purpose of the sacred thread
upavīta-artham:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootupavīta (उपवीत-प्रातिपदिक) + artha (अर्थ-प्रातिपदिक)
FormSamāsānta-avyaya used adverbially; Dvitīyā-ekavacana in -am functioning as purpose (प्रयोजनार्थे द्वितीया): 'for the purpose of upavīta'
nirmitamwas made/constructed
nirmitam:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootnir-√mā (निर्मा/मा-धातु) kta (क्त)
FormKta-participle (past passive participle), Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate: 'was made'
brahmaṇāby Brahmā
brahmaṇā:
Karta (कर्ता/Agent—in passive)
TypeNoun
Rootbrahman (ब्रह्मन्-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd/तृतीया), Ekavacana; instrumental of agent (कर्तृकरणे तृतीया)
purāformerly
purā:
Kāla (काल/Time)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpurā (पुरा-अव्यय)
FormKāla-avyaya (काल/temporal adverb)
brāhmaṇānāmof Brahmins
brāhmaṇānām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootbrāhmaṇa (ब्राह्मण-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana
trivitthreefold
trivit:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Roottri (त्रि-प्रातिपदिक) + vit (वित्/वित्-प्रातिपदिक, 'threefold')
FormNapuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; numeral compound qualifying sūtram: 'threefold'
sūtramthread
sūtram:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject—predicate nominal)
TypeNoun
Rootsūtra (सूत्र-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana
kauśammade of kuśa-fibre
kauśam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootkauśa (कौश-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifying sūtram/vastram: 'made of kuśa-fibre'
or
:
Sambandha (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvā (वा-अव्यय)
FormVikalpa-avyaya (alternative particle)
vastramcloth
vastram:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject—alternative item)
TypeNoun
Rootvastra (वस्त्र-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana
evaindeed/only
eva:
Sambandha (Connector/Emphasis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (एव-अव्यय)
FormAvadhāraṇa-avyaya (अवधारण/emphasis particle)
or
:
Sambandha (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvā (वा-अव्यय)
FormVikalpa-avyaya (alternative particle)

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing on dharma

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

B
Brahma
U
Upavita
B
Brahmana
K
Kusha

FAQs

Indirectly: it frames dharma through sacred observance (upavīta), implying that inner discipline and purity support the realization of the Self, even when the verse itself focuses on the external emblem.

No specific yogic technique is taught here; the verse emphasizes preparatory dharma—proper upavīta as part of brahminical discipline—which the Kurma Purana treats as supportive groundwork for higher practices such as Pāśupata-oriented devotion and contemplation.

It does so implicitly through shared dharma: the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis presents ritual order (like upavīta rules) as common ground for devotion to the one Supreme, whether approached as Śiva or as Viṣṇu (here speaking as Kūrma).