Shloka 9

Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas: Liquor, Theft, Sexual Transgression, Contact with the Fallen, and Homicide

Devanagari script

तपसापनुनुत्सुस्तु सुवर्णस्तेयजं मलम् / चीरवासा द्विजो ऽरण्ये चरेद् ब्रह्महणो व्रतम्

Transliteration

tapasāpanunutsustu suvarṇasteyajaṃ malam / cīravāsā dvijo 'raṇye cared brahmahaṇo vratam

Translation

తపస్సుతో స్వర్ణచౌర్యజన్య మలాన్ని దహించదలచిన ద్విజుడు చీరవస్త్రాలు ధరించి అరణ్యంలో నివసించి, బ్రహ్మహత్యకునికి విధించిన వ్రతాన్ని ఆచరించాలి.

Word by Word

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अपनुनुत्सुः: wishing to remove
• अपनुनुत्सुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप-नुद् (धातु) + सुँ (कृत्-प्रत्यय, इच्छार्थे)
• Form: इच्छार्थक-विशेषण (Desiderative adjectival), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• सुवर्ण-स्तेय-जम्: born of gold-theft
• सुवर्ण-स्तेय-जम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तेय (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘सुवर्णस्य स्तेयम्’ तस्मात् ‘जम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मलम्: impurity/sin-stain
• मलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चीर-वासा: wearing bark-garments
• चीर-वासा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चीर (प्रातिपदिक) + वासस्/वासा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि: ‘चीरं वासो यस्य सः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• द्विजः: a twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अरण्ये: in the forest
• अरण्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• चरेत्: should practice/undertake
• चरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ब्रह्म-हणः: slayer of a Brahmin
• ब्रह्म-हणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + हन् (धातु-आधारित प्रातिपदिक ‘हण’)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘ब्रह्मणः हन्ता’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• व्रतम्: vow/penance
• व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the dharma-teachings of the Kurma Purana in a prāyaścitta context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Dvija
• Brahmahaṇ (Brahmin-slayer vow)
• Tapas (austerity)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it treats sin as a removable “mala” (impurity) that can be burned away through disciplined tapas, aligning with the Purāṇic view that inner purification prepares one for Atman-realization and God-knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes tapas (austerity) and niyama-like discipline: renunciant simplicity (bark garments), forest-dwelling, and sustained vrata (vowed observance). In Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis, such purification supports higher sādhanā, including devotional concentration and yogic restraint.

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

This specific verse is primarily dharma-prāyaścitta focused and does not explicitly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; however, its stress on tapas and purification fits the Kurma Purana’s integrated framework where ethical discipline supports both Vaiṣṇava devotion and Śaiva-yogic purification.