Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 33

Snātaka and Gṛhastha-Dharma: Conduct, Marriage Norms, Daily Rites, and Liberating Virtues

Devanagari script

अधीत्य विधिवद् विद्यामर्थं चैवोपलभ्य तु / धर्मकार्यान्निवृत्तश्चेन्न तद् विज्ञानमिष्यते

Transliteration

adhītya vidhivad vidyāmarthaṃ caivopalabhya tu / dharmakāryānnivṛttaścenna tad vijñānamiṣyate

Translation

Kahit pag-aralan ang kaalaman ayon sa wastong paraan at maunawaan ang kahulugan nito, kung tatalikod naman sa mga gawain at tungkulin ng Dharma, hindi iyon kinikilalang tunay na vijñāna.

Word by Word

• अधीत्य: having studied
• अधीत्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/क्त्वा), अव्ययभाव (gerund); ‘having studied’

• विधिवत्: according to rule/properly
• विधिवत्: विशेषण (Adverbial qualifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• विद्याम्: knowledge/learning
• विद्याम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अर्थम्: meaning/purpose
• अर्थम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: वाक्य-निपात (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• उपलभ्य: having obtained/understood
• उपलभ्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-लभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/क्त्वा), अव्ययभाव; ‘having obtained/realized’

• तु: but/however
• तु: वाक्य-निपात (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• धर्म-कार्यात्: from the duty/act of dharma
• धर्म-कार्यात्: अपादान (Apādāna/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य कार्यात्)

• निवृत्तः: having withdrawn/ceased
• निवृत्तः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-वृत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘withdrawn/turned away’

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: हेतु/शर्त (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional particle: if)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• तत्: that (thing)
• तत्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• विज्ञानम्: true knowledge
• विज्ञानम्: विधेय/प्रत्यय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• इष्यते: is accepted/considered
• इष्यते: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः ‘is considered/accepted’

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying the Kurma Purana’s dharma-teaching in context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Vidyā
• Vijñāna

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies that genuine inner realization (vijñāna) is not mere intellectual grasp; it must mature into dharma-aligned living—an outward sign that knowledge has become inwardly assimilated.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes karma-yoga discipline: study with proper method, reflect on meaning, and embody it through dharmic duties—without this integration, meditative insight is treated as incomplete.

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

Indirectly, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: whichever deity is invoked, authentic spirituality is measured by dharma and realized discernment, not sectarian identity or mere scholarship.