Shloka 4

Kali-yuga Doṣas, the Supremacy of Rudra as Refuge, and the Closure of the Manvantara Teaching

Devanagari script

दुरिष्टैर्दुरधीतैश्च दुराचारैर्दुरागमैः / विप्राणां कर्मदोषैश्च प्रजानां जायते भयम्

Transliteration

duriṣṭairduradhītaiśca durācārairdurāgamaiḥ / viprāṇāṃ karmadoṣaiśca prajānāṃ jāyate bhayam

Translation

दुरिष्टैर्दुरधीतैश्च दुराचारैर्दुरागमैः । विप्राणां कर्मदोषैश्च प्रजानां जायते भयम् ॥

Word by Word

• दुरिष्टैः: by evil sacrifices/rites
• दुरिष्टैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुरिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (3rd case)

• दुरधीतैः: by badly studied (Vedas/learning)
• दुरधीतैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुरधीत (प्रातिपदिक; दुर् + अधीत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय; conjunction

• दुराचारैः: by evil conduct
• दुराचारैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुराचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• दुरागमैः: by bad scriptures/traditions
• दुरागमैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुरागम (प्रातिपदिक; दुर् + आगम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• विप्राणाम्: of the brahmins
• विप्राणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• कर्मदोषैः: by faults in rites/actions
• कर्मदोषैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मदोष (प्रातिपदिक; कर्म + दोष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय; conjunction

• प्रजानाम्: of the people
• प्रजानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• जायते: arises/is born
• जायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative, 3rd person singular (Ātmanepada)

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/भाव), एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing in dharma within the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (Brahmin community)
• Agama (doctrinal tradition)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it teaches that when dharma (right knowledge, rite, and conduct) is distorted, the mind and society fall into भय (fear); steadiness conducive to Self-knowledge depends on purity of conduct and right teaching.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is named; the verse stresses prerequisites for Yoga—śuddhi (purity), right study (svādhyāya), and right conduct (ācāra)—without which inner discipline and meditative stability are undermined.

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

By emphasizing āgama and dharma rather than sectarian identity, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance: right doctrine and conduct are primary, aligning Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions under a shared dharmic standard.