Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 24

Tīrtha-Māhātmya and the Discipline of Pilgrimage (Tīrtha-sevā) within Prāyaścitta

Devanagari script

प्रायश्चित्तप्रसङ्गेन तीर्थमाहात्म्यमीरितम् / यः पठेच्छृणुयाद् वापि मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः

Transliteration

prāyaścittaprasaṅgena tīrthamāhātmyamīritam / yaḥ paṭhecchṛṇuyād vāpi mucyate sarvapātakaiḥ

Translation

Здесь, в связи с изложением прайашчитты (искупительных обрядов), провозглашено величие священных тиртх. Кто читает это или даже лишь слушает, освобождается от всех греховных падений.

Word by Word

• प्रायश्चित्तप्रसङ्गेन: by occasion of expiation
• प्रायश्चित्तप्रसङ्गेन: Karana (करण/Instrument-Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त + प्रसङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रायश्चित्तस्य प्रसङ्गः)

• तीर्थमाहात्म्यम्: the greatness of sacred places
• तीर्थमाहात्म्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तीर्थस्य माहात्म्यम्)

• ईरितम्: has been declared
• ईरितम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘कथितम्’ इत्यर्थः

• यः: whoever
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• पठेत्: should read
• पठेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शृणुयात्: should hear
• शृणुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारार्थक निपात (also/even)

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

• सर्वपातकैः: from all sins
• सर्वपातकैः: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative-source; ‘from’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वाणि पातकानि)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) to the assembled sages (Naimiṣāraṇya frame), presenting Kurma Purana’s teaching on prāyaścitta and tīrtha-māhātmya

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Prāyaścitta
• Tīrtha
• Pātaka

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes purification through śravaṇa (hearing) and pāṭha (recitation), which in Purāṇic practice prepares the mind for Self-knowledge by reducing pāpa (sin) and inner impurity that obstructs realization.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights devotional-dharmic disciplines allied to Yoga—śravaṇa and pāṭha as purifying practices. In the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis, such purity supports higher sādhana (including Pāśupata-oriented restraint and contemplation) by stabilizing conduct and mind.

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

Not explicitly; yet it reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative method—purification through dharma (prāyaścitta) and sacred places (tīrthas) is presented as universally efficacious, a shared Purāṇic framework across Shaiva and Vaishnava streams leading toward the same liberating aim.