Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 22

Agnihotra, Seasonal Śrauta Duties, and the Authority of Śruti–Smṛti–Purāṇa

Devanagari script

धर्मं जिज्ञासमानानां तत्प्रमाणतरं स्मृतम् / धर्मशास्त्रं पुराणं तद् ब्रह्मज्ञाने परा प्रमा

Transliteration

dharmaṃ jijñāsamānānāṃ tatpramāṇataraṃ smṛtam / dharmaśāstraṃ purāṇaṃ tad brahmajñāne parā pramā

Translation

Para sa mga nagnanais makaalam ng dharma, ito ang inaalala bilang mas may bigat na batayan: ang mga Dharmaśāstra at ang mga Purāṇa. Sa kaalaman tungkol sa Brahman, iyon ang nagiging pinakamataas na pramāṇa (pinakamataas na patunay).

Word by Word

• dharmam: dharma
• dharmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• jijñāsamānānām: of those desiring to know
• jijñāsamānānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √jñā (ज्ञा) + desiderative stem jijñās- (सन्नन्त) + śatṛ (शतृ) (कृदन्त)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ-कृदन्त) of desiderative (सन्नन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tat-pramāṇa-taram: a more authoritative proof
• tat-pramāṇa-taram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + pramāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + tara (तर-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); comparative (तर)

• smṛtam: is remembered/considered
• smṛtam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa / Predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √smṛ (स्मृ) + kta (क्त) (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• dharma-śāstram: Dharmaśāstra
• dharma-śāstram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• purāṇam: Purāṇa
• purāṇam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tat: that (i.e., this)
• tat: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• brahma-jñāne: in (matters of) knowledge of Brahman
• brahma-jñāne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• parā: supreme/highest
• parā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• pramā: valid cognition/authority
• pramā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pramā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing Indradyumna and the sages on scriptural authority

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kūrma (Vishnu)
• Dharmaśāstra
• Purāṇa
• Brahman

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It frames Brahman-knowledge as the highest valid means of knowing reality, grounding inquiry into the Supreme Self in authoritative śāstra—especially Dharmaśāstra and Purāṇa—rather than mere opinion.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No single technique is listed; instead, the verse establishes that authentic practice and realization must be guided by pramāṇa—scriptural instruction—an essential foundation for Pāśupata-oriented discipline and Brahman-realization taught in the Kurma Purana.

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

By elevating Purāṇa and Dharmaśāstra as authorities for Brahman-knowledge, it supports the Purāṇic synthesis in which sectarian forms (Śiva/Vishnu) converge in the same highest truth (Brahman) taught through shared śāstric pramāṇa.