Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 99

Śrāddha-vidhi for Pitṛs: Invitations, Purity, Offerings, and Conduct

Devanagari script

पुष्पेर्धूपैश्च नैवेद्यैर्गन्धाद्यैर्भूषणैरपि / पूजयित्वा मातृगणं कूर्याच्छ्राद्धत्रयं बुधः

Transliteration

puṣperdhūpaiśca naivedyairgandhādyairbhūṣaṇairapi / pūjayitvā mātṛgaṇaṃ kūryācchrāddhatrayaṃ budhaḥ

Translation

மலர்கள், தூபம், நைவேத்யம், நறுமணப் பொருட்கள் முதலியன, மேலும் ஆபரணங்களாலும் மாத்ருகணங்களை வழிபட்டு, ஞானி பின்னர் மூன்று சிராத்தங்களைச் செய்ய வேண்டும்.

Word by Word

• पुष्पैः: with flowers
• पुष्पैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• धूपैः: with incense
• धूपैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• नैवेद्यैः: with food-offerings
• नैवेद्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• गन्ध-आद्यैः: with perfumes and the like
• गन्ध-आद्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘गन्धः आदिः येषाम्’ (beginning with perfumes)

• भूषणैः: with ornaments
• भूषणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also/even)

• पूजयित्वा: having worshipped
• पूजयित्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (क्त्वान्त/absolutive), ‘having worshipped’

• मातृ-गणम्: the group of Mothers
• मातृ-गणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (group of Mothers)

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• श्राद्ध-त्रयम्: the threefold śrāddha
• श्राद्ध-त्रयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• बुधः: a wise man
• बुधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrating traditional dharma-vidhi as taught in the Kurma Purana’s discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Mātṛgaṇa (Mātṛs)
• Śrāddha

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames dharma as a preparatory discipline—through reverent offerings and śrāddha, the mind is purified and made fit for higher knowledge of the Self taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes karmayoga-style purity through prescribed worship and ancestral rites; such regulated action (niyama) supports steadiness, gratitude, and inner clarity that underpin later yogic instruction.

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

By upholding shared puranic dharma—worship of divine powers (Mātṛs) and śrāddha—within a text known for Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis, it reflects a unified devotional-ritual framework rather than sectarian separation.