Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 42

Prayāga-māhātmya — The Greatness of Prayāga and the Discipline of Pilgrimage

Devanagari script

गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये यस्तु ग्रामं प्रतीच्छति / सुवर्णमथ मुक्तां वा तथैवान्यान् प्रतिग्रहान्

Transliteration

gaṅgāyamunayormadhye yastu grāmaṃ pratīcchati / suvarṇamatha muktāṃ vā tathaivānyān pratigrahān

Translation

لیکن گنگا اور یمنا کے درمیان کے مقدّس علاقے میں جو کوئی گاؤں کا دان قبول کرے—یا سونا، موتی یا دیگر قسم کے عطیے بطورِ پرتیگرہ لے—تو ایسا قبول کرنا وہاں عیب اور مذموم سمجھا گیا ہے۔

Word by Word

• गङ्गा-यमुनयोः: of Gaṅgā and Yamunā
• गङ्गा-यमुनयोः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + यमुना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व: 'of Gaṅgā and Yamunā'

• मध्ये: between/in the middle
• मध्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरणम् (in the middle/between)

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधसूचक (particle: but/indeed)

• ग्रामम्: a village
• ग्रामम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• प्रतीच्छति: accepts
• प्रतीच्छति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-इष्/इच्छ् (धातु: इष्/इच्छ्)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'accepts/receives' (प्रति+इच्छ्)

• सुवर्णम्: gold
• सुवर्णम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object, appositional list)

• अथ: and/then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक/समुच्चय (then/and)

• मुक्ताम्: a pearl
• मुक्ताम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive: or)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/so)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle: indeed/just)

• अन्यान्: other
• अन्यान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying प्रतिग्रहान्)

• प्रतिग्रहान्: acceptances/gifts (received)
• प्रतिग्रहान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्म (things accepted/gifts)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying the Kurma Purana’s teaching on dāna-dharma

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Yamunā

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily ethical rather than metaphysical: it frames purity of conduct (especially non-greed in sacred spaces) as supportive of inner purity, which the Purana elsewhere treats as necessary for realizing the Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific āsana or meditation is taught here; instead it stresses yama-like restraint—non-possessiveness and freedom from greed—presented as a dharmic discipline that protects spiritual practice in holy regions.

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

It does not directly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; its contribution to the Kurma Purana’s synthesis is indirect—upholding tīrtha-dharma and ethical restraint as shared foundations for both Śaiva (including Pāśupata) and Vaiṣṇava spiritual paths.