Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 86

Brahmacārin-Dharma: Guru-Sevā, Daily Vedic Study, Gāyatrī-Japa, and Anadhyāya Regulations

Devanagari script

गत्वा वनं वा विधिवज्जुहुयाज्जातवेदसम् / अधीयीत सदा नित्यं ब्रह्मनिष्ठः समाहितः

Transliteration

gatvā vanaṃ vā vidhivajjuhuyājjātavedasam / adhīyīta sadā nityaṃ brahmaniṣṭhaḥ samāhitaḥ

Translation

காட்டிற்குச் சென்றாலும் விதிப்படி ஜாதவேதஸ் (அக்னி) இல் ஹோமம் செய்ய வேண்டும்; பிரம்மநிஷ்டையுடன், ஒருமுகமாக, எப்போதும் நித்யமாக ஸ்வாத்யாயம் செய்ய வேண்டும்.

Word by Word

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having gone’

• वनम्: to the forest
• वनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• विधिवत्: according to the prescribed rule
• विधिवत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vidhi + vat (अव्यय-निर्माण)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb) ‘according to rule’

• जुहुयात्: should offer (oblation)
• जुहुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hu (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• जातवेदसम्: Jātavedas (Agni)
• जातवेदसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jātavedas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अग्निदेवस्य नाम

• अधीयीत: should study/recite
• अधीयीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi-i (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• नित्यम्: constantly
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (adverbial accusative)

• ब्रह्मनिष्ठः: steadfast in Brahman
• ब्रह्मनिष्ठः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahman + niṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणि निष्ठा यस्य)

• समाहितः: composed/concentrated
• समाहितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-hita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √dhā धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘collected/intent’

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing Indradyumna (didactic discourse on dharma and disciplined practice)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Jātavedas (Agni)
• Brahman

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It points to Brahman-realization as the practitioner’s stable ground: ritual action is upheld, yet the culmination is brahmaniṣṭhā—abidance in the Supreme Reality beyond mere external performance.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes samādhāna (collectedness) alongside nitya-svādhyāya (daily scriptural recitation/study) and disciplined yajña to Agni—an integrated path where outer nitya-karma supports inner concentration and steadiness.

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

While not naming Śiva directly, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: Vedic fire-ritual and Brahman-abidance are presented as complementary means toward the one Supreme—an approach consistent with the text’s broader Shaiva-Vaishnava non-sectarian theology.