Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 11

Prāyaścitta for Theft, Forbidden Foods, Impurity, and Ritual Lapses; Tīrtha–Vrata Remedies; Pativratā Mahātmyam via Sītā and Agni

Devanagari script

बकं चैव बलाकं च हंसं कारण्डवं तथा / चक्रवाकं प्लवं जग्घ्वा द्वादशाहमभोजनम्

Transliteration

bakaṃ caiva balākaṃ ca haṃsaṃ kāraṇḍavaṃ tathā / cakravākaṃ plavaṃ jagghvā dvādaśāhamabhojanam

Translation

கொக்கு, பலாகா, அன்னம், காரண்டவம், சக்ரவாகம் அல்லது ப்லவம் (நீர்ப்பறவை) உண்டவன் பன்னிரண்டு நாட்கள் உணவின்றி இருப்பதான பிராயச்சித்தத்தை மேற்கொள்ள வேண்டும்.

Word by Word

• बकम्: crane/heron
• बकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण निपात

• बलाकम्: stork/heron
• बलाकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात

• हंसम्: swan/goose
• हंसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कारण्डवम्: a kind of duck (kāraṇḍava)
• कारण्डवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण्डव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb: ‘likewise’)

• चक्रवाकम्: cakravāka bird (ruddy goose)
• चक्रवाकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्रवाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्लवम्: plava bird (a waterfowl)
• प्लवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• जग्ध्वा: having eaten
• जग्ध्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह्/ग्रस (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive), ‘having eaten’

• द्वादश-अहम्-अभोजनम्: twelve-day fasting (non-eating)
• द्वादश-अहम्-अभोजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + अहन्/अह (प्रातिपदिक) + अभोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कालपरिमाण-निर्देश: ‘for twelve days’), ‘abhojana’ = fasting

Speaker

Vyasa (narratorial dharma instruction within a prāyaścitta section)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kurma Purana
• Prāyaścitta
• Dharmaśāstra

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It does so indirectly: by prescribing restraint and penance, the verse supports purification of conduct (ācāra-śuddhi), which is treated in the Kurma tradition as a practical foundation for inner clarity conducive to Self-knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The practice emphasized is tapas in the form of fasting (abhojana) as prāyaścitta—an ethical-austerity discipline that complements Yoga by strengthening self-control (saṃyama) and reducing tamas linked to harmful consumption.

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

This verse is primarily dharma-prāyaścitta instruction rather than theology; its shared ethic of purification and restraint aligns with the Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis, where disciplined conduct supports devotion and liberation irrespective of the chosen deity-form.