Shloka 15

Prāyaścitta for Theft, Forbidden Foods, Impurity, and Ritual Lapses; Tīrtha–Vrata Remedies; Pativratā Mahātmyam via Sītā and Agni

Devanagari script

जलेचरांश्च जलजान् प्रत्तुदान्नखविष्किरान् / रक्तपादांस्तथा जग्ध्वा सप्ताहं चैतदाचरेत्

Transliteration

jalecarāṃśca jalajān prattudānnakhaviṣkirān / raktapādāṃstathā jagdhvā saptāhaṃ caitadācaret

Translation

నీటిలో సంచరించే జీవులు, నీటిలో పుట్టినవి, ముక్కుతో పొడిచేవి, గోళ్లతో ఆహారం చల్లేవి, అలాగే ఎర్రపాద పక్షులను తిన్నవాడు, ప్రాయశ్చిత్తంగా ఇది ఏడు రోజులు ఆచరించాలి।

Word by Word

• जलेचरान्: aquatic creatures
• जलेचरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलेचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; समासः जल + चर (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• जलजान्: water-born beings
• जलजान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः जल + ज (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• प्रत्तुदान्: stinging/pecking
• प्रत्तुदान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + तुद् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• नखविष्किरान्: those that scratch/scatter with claws
• नखविष्किरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नख + विष्किर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः नख + विष्किर (तत्पुरुष)

• रक्तपादान्: red-footed ones
• रक्तपादान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (रक्ताः पादाः यस्य/ये)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb: ‘thus/also’)

• जग्ध्वा: having eaten
• जग्ध्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष्/जघ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having eaten’

• सप्ताहम्: for a week
• सप्ताहम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्ताह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कालावधि (duration)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• एतत्: this (observance)
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आचरेत्: should practice/perform
• आचरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Vyasa (narrative instruction within a dharma/prāyaścitta section)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Kurma Purana
• Dharma
• Prāyaścitta
• Vrata

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames bodily conduct (especially food and restraint) as part of purification; such śuddhi supports steadiness of mind required for realizing the Atman taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana’s higher instruction.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

A preparatory discipline: ethical restraint and expiatory observance (prāyaścitta) for seven days. In the Kurma Purana’s broader soteriology, such niyama-like purification supports mantra, dhyāna, and Pāśupata-oriented worship by reducing rajas/tamas and stabilizing sāttvika conduct.

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

Not explicitly in this verse; however, the shared dharmic framework of purity, restraint, and expiation functions as common ground for both Shaiva (Pāśupata) and Vaishnava devotion in the Kurma Purana’s synthetic teaching.