Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 63

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

Devanagari script

उच्छिष्टो यद्यनाचान्तश्चाण्डालादीन् स्पृशेद् द्विजः / प्रमादाद् वै जपेत् स्नात्वा गायत्र्यष्टसहस्रकम्

Transliteration

ucchiṣṭo yadyanācāntaścāṇḍālādīn spṛśed dvijaḥ / pramādād vai japet snātvā gāyatryaṣṭasahasrakam

Translation

இருமுறை பிறந்தவன் உச்சிஷ்ட நிலையில், ஆச்சமனம் செய்யாமல், தவறுதலாக சண்டாளன் முதலியவர்களைத் தொட்டால், நீராடி, பிராயச்சித்தமாக காயத்ரியை எட்டாயிரம் முறை ஜபிக்க வேண்டும்।

Word by Word

• ucchiṣṭaḥ: with food-remnants/impure (after eating)
• ucchiṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ucchiṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of dvijaḥ)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• anācāntaḥ: not having sipped (ācamana)
• anācāntaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-ācānta (ā-√cam, आचम् धातु; क्त)
• Form: नञ्-समास/नकार-प्रत्यय (negated participle); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• caṇḍāla-ādīn: Caṇḍālas and the like
• caṇḍāla-ādīn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caṇḍāla (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (चण्डालादयः = Caṇḍālas and others); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• spṛśet: should touch/touches (in the case)
• spṛśet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √spṛś (स्पृश्, धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• dvijaḥ: a twice-born (Brahmin etc.)
• dvijaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• pramādāt: through negligence
• pramādāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pramāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (because of)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• japet: should recite
• japet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jap (जप्, धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• snātvā: having bathed
• snātvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √snā (स्ना, धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive)

• gāyatrī-aṣṭa-sahasrakam: the Gāyatrī (recited) eight thousand times
• gāyatrī-aṣṭa-sahasrakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāyatrī (प्रातिपदिक) + aṣṭa (संख्या) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक) + -ka (प्रत्यय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (गायत्र्याः अष्टसहस्रकम् = eight-thousand (recitations) of Gāyatrī); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrating Vyāsa’s teaching to the sages) — within a dharma/prāyaścitta instruction section of the Kūrma Purāṇa

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Gāyatrī
• Dvija
• Caṇḍāla

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily dharma-śāstra in tone: it does not directly analyze Ātman, but it assumes that inner and outer discipline (śauca, mantra-japa) supports spiritual fitness for Vedic practice that culminates in self-knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It prescribes mantra-yoga in the form of Gāyatrī-japa, preceded by snāna and the corrective restoration of purity—showing the Purāṇic linkage between disciplined conduct and effective japa.

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

It does not explicitly discuss Śiva–Viṣṇu unity; instead, it reflects the shared Purāṇic dharma framework in which both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava streams uphold śauca, ācamana, snāna, and mantra-japa as foundational supports for higher realization.