Shloka 38

Karma-yoga Discipline for the Twice-born: Upanayana, Upavīta Conduct, Guru-veneration, and Alms-regimen

Devanagari script

वर्जयित्वा मुक्तिफलं नित्यं नैमित्तिकं तथा / धर्मसारः समुद्दिष्टः प्रेत्यानन्तफलप्रदः

Transliteration

varjayitvā muktiphalaṃ nityaṃ naimittikaṃ tathā / dharmasāraḥ samuddiṣṭaḥ pretyānantaphalapradaḥ

Translation

మోక్షఫలాన్ని పక్కన పెట్టి, నిత్యము మరియు నైమిత్తికము అయిన కర్తవ్యాచరణమే ధర్మసారమని ప్రకటించబడింది; మరణానంతరం అది అనంత ఫలమును ప్రసాదిస్తుంది।

Word by Word

• varjayitvā: excluding
• varjayitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛj/varj (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having excluded/excepting’

• mukti-phalam: the fruit of liberation
• mukti-phalam: Karma (कर्म/object of ‘varjayitvā’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukti (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound; Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• nityam: the daily (duty)
• nityam: Karma (कर्म/object, coordinated)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adjective used substantively; Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (elliptic: nitya-dharma)

• naimittikam: the occasional/conditional (duty)
• naimittikam: Karma (कर्म/object, coordinated)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: naimittika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adjective used substantively; Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (elliptic: naimittika-dharma)

• tathā: and likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb/conjunction ‘thus/also’

• dharma-sāraḥ: essence of dharma
• dharma-sāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + sāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound; Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• samuddiṣṭaḥ: is declared
• samuddiṣṭaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ud-diś (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘has been declared/indicated’

• pretya: after death
• pretya: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-i (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive used adverbially (क्त्वान्त-अव्यय), ‘having died/after death’

• ananta-phala-pradaḥ: bestowing endless fruits
• ananta-phala-pradaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ananta (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (multi-member); Masculine, Nominative, Singular (agreeing with dharmasāraḥ)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing the sages (context of dharma-teaching in the Purva-bhāga)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kūrma (Vishnu)
• Dharma
• Nitya-karma
• Naimittika-karma
• Mukti (Moksha)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It distinguishes mokṣa (liberation) from dharma’s karmic framework: nitya and naimittika duties yield “endless fruits” after death, implying that Atman-realization (mukti) is a different, transcendent result not counted among ritual/ethical karmaphalas.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse foregrounds karma-yoga foundations: disciplined performance of obligatory and occasion-based duties as a purifying regimen that supports higher yogic realization (including Pāśupata-oriented inner worship taught elsewhere in the Kūrma tradition).

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

By presenting dharma as a universal discipline taught by Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) yet compatible with Śaiva-Pāśupata soteriology, it reflects the Purāṇa’s synthetic stance: shared dharma and purification leading toward the same highest truth.