Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 60

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

Devanagari script

छन्दांस्यूर्ध्वमथोभ्यस्येच्छुक्लपक्षेषु वै द्विजः / वेदाङ्गानि पुराणानि कृष्णपक्षे च मानवम्

Transliteration

chandāṃsyūrdhvamathobhyasyecchuklapakṣeṣu vai dvijaḥ / vedāṅgāni purāṇāni kṛṣṇapakṣe ca mānavam

Translation

Ang dvija (dalawang-ulit na isinilang) ay dapat mag-aral ng mga sukat at himig ng Veda sa maliwanag na kalahati ng buwan; at sa madilim na kalahati, pag-aralan ang mga Vedāṅga at ang mga Purāṇa. Sa gayon dapat magpakasigasig ang tao sa banal na pagkatuto.

Word by Word

• छन्दांसि: Vedic metres / hymns
• छन्दांसि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), बहुवचन

• ऊर्ध्वम्: afterwards / later
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुबन्ध/आरम्भसूचक (particle)

• उ: indeed
• उ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• अभ्यस्येत्: should study
• अभ्यस्येत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: अस् (to be) उपसर्ग: अभि; अर्थे: अभ्यासं कुर्यात् (should study/practise)

• शुक्लपक्षेषु: in the bright fortnights
• शुक्लपक्षेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल-पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), बहुवचन; समास: शुक्लः पक्षः (determinative)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• द्विजः: a twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• वेदाङ्गानि: the Vedāṅgas
• वेदाङ्गानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद-अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), बहुवचन; समास: वेदस्य अङ्गानि (genitive tatpuruṣa)

• पुराणानि: the Purāṇas
• पुराणानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), बहुवचन

• कृष्णपक्षे: in the dark fortnight
• कृष्णपक्षे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण-पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; समास: कृष्णः पक्षः (determinative)

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

• मानवम्: the (text called) Mānava / Manu-related (treatise)
• मानवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) conveying traditional dharma-instructions of the Kurma Purana

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Dvija
• Veda
• Chandas
• Vedanga
• Purana

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames disciplined svādhyāya (scriptural study) as a dharmic foundation. In the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis, such ordered learning prepares the mind for higher inquiry (ātma-jñāna) taught more explicitly in later philosophical sections.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights svādhyāya as a yogic discipline—regulated study aligned with lunar time (śukla/kṛṣṇa pakṣa). In the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-leaning ethos, this supports mental purity, mantra-competence, and steadiness needed for meditation and worship.

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

It does so implicitly through the Purāṇic model of harmony: Vedic learning (chandas, vedāṅga) and Purāṇic teaching together form a unified sacred curriculum, consistent with the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis where sectarian teachings are integrated under dharma.