Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 8

Vānaprastha-Dharma: Forest Discipline, Vaikhānasa Austerities, and Śiva-Āśrama as the Liberative Refuge

Devanagari script

चीरवासा भवेन्नित्यं स्नायात् त्रिषवणं शुचिः / सर्वभूतानुकम्पी स्यात् प्रतिग्रहविवर्जितः

Transliteration

cīravāsā bhavennityaṃ snāyāt triṣavaṇaṃ śuciḥ / sarvabhūtānukampī syāt pratigrahavivarjitaḥ

Translation

Dapat siyang laging magsuot ng payak na kasuotan na mula sa balat ng puno o simpleng tela, at maligo sa tatlong takdang sandali ng araw nang may kalinisan. Dapat siyang mahabagin sa lahat ng nilalang at umiwas sa pagtanggap ng mga handog na nagbubuklod.

Word by Word

• चीर-वासा: one wearing bark-garments
• चीर-वासा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चीर (प्रातिपदिक) + वासस्/वासा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (चीरं वासो यस्य सः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• भवेत्: should be
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• स्नायात्: should bathe
• स्नायात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्रि-षवणम्: thrice daily (at the three savanas)
• त्रि-षवणम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + षवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (त्रिषवणम् = त्रिषु सवनेषु/त्रिकालम्); क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• शुचिः: pure
• शुचिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्व-भूत-अनुकम्पी: compassionate to all beings
• सर्व-भूत-अनुकम्पी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुकम्पिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सर्वेषां भूतानां अनुकम्पी); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रतिग्रह-विवर्जितः: free from accepting gifts
• प्रतिग्रह-विवर्जितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + वि + वर्जित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; वर्जित (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त past passive participle) = 'avoided'; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing the sages on dharma and yogic discipline

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• Pashupata Yoga

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it teaches that purity, compassion, and non-attachment (including refusing binding gifts) are prerequisites for steady contemplation of the Self; ethical restraint stabilizes the mind for ātma-jñāna.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Foundational sādhana: triṣavaṇa-snāna (ritual and inner purification at dawn/noon/dusk), śauca, aparigraha-like non-acceptance (pratigraha-vivarjana), and universal compassion—core restraints that support Pāśupata-leaning yogic discipline in the Kūrma Purāṇa.

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

By presenting a shared ascetic-ethical code (śauca, tapas, compassion, non-attachment) that underlies both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva paths; the Purāṇa frames these virtues as universally dharmic rather than sectarian.