Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 101

Devanagari script

गोवध्येयं द्विजश्रेष्ठ यावत् तव शरीरगा / तावत् ते ऽन्नं न भोक्तव्यं गच्छामो वयमेव हि

Transliteration

govadhyeyaṃ dvijaśreṣṭha yāvat tava śarīragā / tāvat te 'nnaṃ na bhoktavyaṃ gacchāmo vayameva hi

Translation

హే ద్విజశ్రేష్ఠా! నీ శరీరంలో గోవధ పాపం ఉన్నంతవరకు నీవు అన్నం భుజించకూడదు; మేమే నిజంగా నిన్ను విడిచి వెళ్లిపోతాము।

Word by Word

• गोवध्येयम्: (this) cow-slaughter (act)
• गोवध्येयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो-वध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + -इय (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (इय) — ‘fit/connected with cow-slaughter’

• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक-परिमाण/कालवाचक (correlative: ‘as long as/so long as’)

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• शरीरगा: situated in (your) body
• शरीरगा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरीर-ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण — ‘in the body’

• तावत्: so long
• तावत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तावत्-यावत् सहसंबन्ध (correlative: ‘so long/that long’)

• ते: for you/to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/dative), एकवचन

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• भोक्तव्यम्: should be eaten
• भोक्तव्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-भाव (gerundive: ‘to be eaten/should be eaten’)

• गच्छामः: we go
• गच्छामः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/खल्वर्थ (for/indeed)

Speaker

Sages/holy guests (ṛṣis) addressing a Brahmin (dvija)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Dvija (Brahmin)
• Go (Cow)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes ethical purity (ahimsa) and inner cleanliness as prerequisites for dharmic and spiritual life, which supports the pursuit of Self-knowledge in the Purana’s broader teaching.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No direct meditation technique is taught; the verse stresses yama-like restraints—especially ahimsa and purity—presented as foundational disciplines that precede higher yogic practice.

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

It does not explicitly mention Shiva–Vishnu unity; instead it reflects the shared dharmic ground upheld across Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions in the Kurma Purana—non-violence, purity, and expiation.