Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 40

Śrāddha-Kāla-Nirṇaya: Proper Times, Nakṣatra Fruits, Tīrtha Merit, and Offerings for Ancestral Rites

Devanagari script

द्वौ मासौ मत्स्यमांसेन त्रीन् मासान् हारिणेनतु / औरभ्रेणाथ चतुरः शाकुनेनेह पञ्च तु

Transliteration

dvau māsau matsyamāṃsena trīn māsān hāriṇenatu / aurabhreṇātha caturaḥ śākuneneha pañca tu

Translation

చేప మాంసం భక్షిస్తే (దోష/అశౌచ) కాలం రెండు మాసాలు; హరిణ మాంసంతో మూడు; గొర్రె మాంసంతో నాలుగు; పక్షి మాంసంతో ఇక్కడ ఐదు మాసాలు అవుతుంది।

Word by Word

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण (मासौ इत्यस्य)

• मासौ: months
• मासौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• मत्स्यमांसेन: with fish-meat
• मत्स्यमांसेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य-मांस (प्रातिपदिक; मत्स्य + मांस)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मत्स्यस्य मांसम्)

• त्रीन्: three
• त्रीन्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण (मासान् इत्यस्य)

• मासान्: months
• मासान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• हारिणेन: with deer (meat)
• हारिणेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हारिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (मांस-शब्दस्य अध्याहारः: हारिणेन (मांसेन))

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोध-अव्यय (particle)

• औरभ्रेण: with sheep (meat)
• औरभ्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: औरभ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (मांस-शब्दस्य अध्याहारः: औरभ्रेण (मांसेन))

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर/प्रसङ्ग-अव्यय (then/now)

• चतुरः: four
• चतुरः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण (मासान् इत्यस्य अध्याहारः)

• शाकुनेन: with bird (meat)
• शाकुनेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाकुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (मांस-शब्दस्य अध्याहारः: शाकुनेन (मांसेन))

• इह: here (in this rule)
• इह: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: here/in this context)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; अत्र पुंलिङ्ग-द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थे (मासान् अध्याहारः)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle)

Speaker

Traditional narrator to sages (dharma-instruction context within the Kurma Purana’s Purva-bhaga)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Kurma Purana
• Dharma
• Prāyaścitta
• Varnashrama-dharma

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, focusing on karmic consequence and purification; it implies that embodied action (karma) leaves impressions requiring regulated purification, rather than directly defining Ātman.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific meditation technique is described; the practice emphasized is yogic self-restraint through āhāra-niyama (discipline of diet) and prāyaścitta, which supports purity (śauca) and steadiness of mind needed for higher sādhanā.

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

The verse itself is non-sectarian and practical, presenting a shared dharmic framework; in the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis, such disciplines are treated as common preparatory steps for devotion and yoga directed to the one Supreme.