Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 46

Dharma of Non-Injury, Non-Stealing, Purity, and Avoidance of Hypocrisy (Ācāra and Saṅkarya-Nivṛtti)

Devanagari script

न नग्नां स्त्रियमीक्षेत पुरुषं वा कदाचन / न च मूत्रं पुरीषं वा न च संस्पृष्टमैथुनम् / नाशुचिः सूर्यसोमादीन् ग्रहानालोकयेद् बुधः

Transliteration

na nagnāṃ striyamīkṣeta puruṣaṃ vā kadācana / na ca mūtraṃ purīṣaṃ vā na ca saṃspṛṣṭamaithunam / nāśuciḥ sūryasomādīn grahānālokayed budhaḥ

Translation

నగ్న స్త్రీని గానీ నగ్న పురుషుణ్ని గానీ ఎప్పుడూ చూడకూడదు; మూత్రం, మలం, జరుగుతున్న మైథునాన్ని కూడా చూడకూడదు. అలాగే అశుచిగా ఉన్నప్పుడు జ్ఞాని సూర్యచంద్రాది గ్రహజ్యోతులను దర్శించకూడదు।

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• nagnām: a naked (woman)
• nagnām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nagnā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• striyam: woman
• striyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• īkṣeta: should look at
• īkṣeta: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• puruṣam: man
• puruṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• kadācana: ever/at any time
• kadācana: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadā-cana (अव्यय; कदा + चन)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• mūtram: urine
• mūtram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūtra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• purīṣam: feces
• purīṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purīṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• saṃspṛṣṭa-maithunam: sexual act that has been touched/engaged in (impure intercourse)
• saṃspṛṣṭa-maithunam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃspṛṣṭa-maithuna (प्रातिपदिक; संस्पृष्ट + मैथुन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• aśuciḥ: one who is impure
• aśuciḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• sūrya-soma-ādīn: the sun, the moon, and others
• sūrya-soma-ādīn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūrya-soma-ādi (प्रातिपदिक; सूर्य + सोम + आदि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘आदि’ = ‘and others’

• grahān: planets
• grahān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: graha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• ālokayet: should gaze at
• ālokayet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-lok (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• budhaḥ: a wise person
• budhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Traditional narrator to the sages (Purāṇic instruction on śauca/ācāra)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Surya
• Soma
• Grahāḥ

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it teaches that spiritual clarity depends on śauca and disciplined perception—purifying the senses so the mind becomes fit for higher knowledge of the Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Foundational yogic restraint (indriya-saṃyama) and ritual purity (śauca): avoiding provocative or polluting sights and maintaining a clean state before engaging with sacred luminaries and contemplative practices.

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

It does not name Shiva or Vishnu directly; it reflects the Kurma Purana’s shared dharmic-yogic ground where purity and restraint support devotion and yoga across Shaiva and Vaishnava paths.