Uttara Bhaga Adhyaya 33 Shloka 80 - Kurma Purana | Thai | Vedapath

Vyasa

Shloka 80

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

Devanagari script

पङ्क्त्यां विषमदानं तु कृत्वा कृच्छ्रेण शुद्ध्यति / छायां श्वपाकस्यारुह्य स्नात्वा संप्राशयेद् घृतम्

Transliteration

paṅktyāṃ viṣamadānaṃ tu kṛtvā kṛcchreṇa śuddhyati / chāyāṃ śvapākasyāruhya snātvā saṃprāśayed ghṛtam

Translation

หากในพิธีเลี้ยงเป็นแถว (ปังกติ) ได้แจกจ่ายทานอาหารอย่างไม่เสมอหรือไม่สมควร ย่อมชำระด้วยพรตกฤจฉระ แล้วจึงก้าวเข้าสู่เงาของศฺวปากะ (จัณฑาล) อาบน้ำ และบริโภคเนยใสตามพิธี

Word by Word

पङ्क्त्याम्in a row/line (of diners)

विषमदानम्unequal/irregular giving (of food/charity)

तुbut/indeed

कृत्वाhaving done

कृच्छ्रेणwith hardship/with difficulty

शुद्ध्यतिis purified

छायाम्(into) the shadow

श्वपाकस्यof a dog-cooker (outcaste)

आरुह्यhaving entered (i.e., fallen into)

स्नात्वाhaving bathed

संप्राशयेत्should make (himself) eat / should partake

घृतम्ghee

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) relaying the Kurma Purana’s dharma-śāstra injunctions on prāyaścitta

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

Kṛcchra (penance)

Paṅkti (row-feast)

Śvapāka (outcaste/caṇḍāla)

Ghṛta (ghee)

FAQs

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

It does not teach Ātman metaphysics directly; it frames dharma as inner-and-outer purification, implying that ethical order and self-discipline (prāyaścitta) support clarity needed for higher knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No formal yogic technique is taught; the verse highlights tapas (austerity) through Kṛcchra and ritual cleansing, which function as preparatory disciplines (śuddhi) that traditional Yoga and Pāśupata-oriented practice treat as foundations for steadiness of mind.

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

Indirectly: the Kurma Purana’s synthesis often places dharma (right conduct and purification) as a shared ground for both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava paths; this verse contributes that common dharmic framework rather than making an explicit sectarian statement.