Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 26

Rules of Food, Acceptance, and Purity for the Twice-Born

Dvija-Śauca and Anna-Doṣa

Devanagari script

केशकीटावपन्नं च सहृल्लेखं च नित्यशः / श्वाघ्रातं च पुनः सिद्धं चण्डालावेक्षितं तथा

Transliteration

keśakīṭāvapannaṃ ca sahṛllekhaṃ ca nityaśaḥ / śvāghrātaṃ ca punaḥ siddhaṃ caṇḍālāvekṣitaṃ tathā

Translation

முடி அல்லது பூச்சி விழுந்த உணவு, அடிக்கடி தொடுதலால் மாசுபடுவது; நாய் முகர்ந்தது; முன் சமைத்ததை மீண்டும் சமைத்தது; மேலும் சண்டாளன் பார்த்தது—இவை அசுத்தம் என விலக்க வேண்டும்.

Word by Word

• keśa-kīṭa-avapannam: fallen into hair/insects; contaminated by hair and insects
• keśa-kīṭa-avapannam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: keśa (प्रातिपदिक) + kīṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + ava√pad (धातु)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying implied 'annaṃ/bhojyaṃ'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• sa-hṛt-lekham: having a mark/scratch (blemished)
• sa-hṛt-lekham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa- (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + hṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + lekha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa: 'with heart-mark/with scratch/mark' (सहृल्लेख = सह + हृद्/हृत् + लेख)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• nityaśaḥ: always; regularly
• nityaśaḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityaśas (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय)

• śvāghrātam: sniffed by a dog
• śvāghrātam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śvan (प्रातिपदिक) + ā√ghrā (धातु)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; tatpuruṣa: 'smelled by a dog' (श्व-आघ्रात)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• punaḥ: again; further
• punaḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (पुनरुक्ति/पुनः-क्रियाविशेषण)

• siddham: cooked; prepared
• siddham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √sidh (धातु)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; 'prepared/cooked/ready'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• caṇḍāla-avekṣitam: seen by a caṇḍāla
• caṇḍāla-avekṣitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caṇḍāla (प्रातिपदिक) + ava√īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; tatpuruṣa: 'looked at by a caṇḍāla'

• tathā: likewise; so too
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (तथाभाव/समुच्चयार्थ अव्यय)

Speaker

Vyasa (narration of dharma-śāstra style rules within the Kurma Purana’s discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Caṇḍāla
• Śva (dog)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse does not directly define Ātman; it establishes śauca (purity) as a practical dharmic discipline that supports steadiness of mind—an enabling condition for higher knowledge of the Self taught elsewhere in the Purāṇa.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific āsana or dhyāna is described; the focus is on āhāra-śuddhi (purity of food) as part of śauca-niyama—ethical-ritual discipline that stabilizes the sādhaka and is treated as supportive to Yoga and Pāśupata-oriented practice in the Kurma tradition.

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

The verse is a dharma rule rather than a theological statement; indirectly, it reflects the Purāṇa’s synthesis by grounding spiritual pursuit (whether Vaiṣṇava or Śaiva/Pāśupata) in shared disciplines like purity, restraint, and right conduct.