Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 6

Brahmacārin-Dharma: Guru-Sevā, Daily Vedic Study, Gāyatrī-Japa, and Anadhyāya Regulations

Devanagari script

गुरोर्यत्र परीवादो निन्दा चापि प्रवर्तते / कर्णैं तत्र पिधातव्यौ गन्तव्यं वा ततो ऽन्यतः

Transliteration

guroryatra parīvādo nindā cāpi pravartate / karṇaiṃ tatra pidhātavyau gantavyaṃ vā tato 'nyataḥ

Translation

Saanman magsimulang kumalat ang paninirang-puri at panlalait sa guru, takpan ang mga tainga roon—o kaya’y umalis sa lugar na iyon at magtungo sa iba.

Word by Word

• guroḥ: of the guru
• guroḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• parīvādaḥ: slander
• parīvādaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parīvāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• nindā: blame/abuse
• nindā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nindā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-कारक-अव्यय (also/even)

• pravartate: goes on/occurs
• pravartate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• karṇau: (one's) two ears
• karṇau: Karma (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), द्विवचन

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (there)

• pidhātavyau: should be closed/covered
• pidhātavyau: Kriyā (क्रिया/Obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pi-√dhā (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (तव्यत्), कर्मणि/विधेय (gerundive: should be closed), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; ‘करṇau’ इत्यस्य विधेय-विशेषणम्

• gantavyam: one should go
• gantavyam: Kriyā (क्रिया/Obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भावे प्रयोगः—‘गन्तव्यम्’ (one should go)

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

• tataḥ: from there
• tataḥ: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादानार्थक-अव्यय (from there/thereupon)

• anyataḥ: elsewhere
• anyataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyatas (अव्यय)
• Form: दिशावाचक-अव्यय (elsewhere/to another place)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing on dharma and disciplined conduct

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Guru

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it protects the conditions for right knowledge (śravaṇa and śraddhā) by preventing the mind from being disturbed by guru-nindā, which obstructs the transmission of liberating insight.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes ethical restraint over speech-hearing (a yama-like discipline): guarding the senses (indriya-saṃyama) by refusing to listen to corrosive talk, which supports steadiness needed for mantra, meditation, and Pāśupata-oriented sādhana.

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

By upholding guru-reverence as a shared dharmic foundation across Shaiva and Vaishnava paths: devotion and disciplined conduct are presented as universal prerequisites for realizing the one Supreme, approached through different traditions.