Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 38

Karma-yoga Discipline for the Twice-born: Upanayana, Upavīta Conduct, Guru-veneration, and Alms-regimen

Devanagari script

वर्जयित्वा मुक्तिफलं नित्यं नैमित्तिकं तथा / धर्मसारः समुद्दिष्टः प्रेत्यानन्तफलप्रदः

Transliteration

varjayitvā muktiphalaṃ nityaṃ naimittikaṃ tathā / dharmasāraḥ samuddiṣṭaḥ pretyānantaphalapradaḥ

Translation

ثمرۂ نجات (موکش) کو الگ رکھ کر، نِتیہ اور نَیمِتِک فرائض کی پابندی ہی دھرم کا جوہر بتایا گیا ہے؛ مرنے کے بعد یہ لامتناہی پھل عطا کرتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• varjayitvā: excluding
• varjayitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛj/varj (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having excluded/excepting’

• mukti-phalam: the fruit of liberation
• mukti-phalam: Karma (कर्म/object of ‘varjayitvā’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukti (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound; Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• nityam: the daily (duty)
• nityam: Karma (कर्म/object, coordinated)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adjective used substantively; Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (elliptic: nitya-dharma)

• naimittikam: the occasional/conditional (duty)
• naimittikam: Karma (कर्म/object, coordinated)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: naimittika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adjective used substantively; Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (elliptic: naimittika-dharma)

• tathā: and likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb/conjunction ‘thus/also’

• dharma-sāraḥ: essence of dharma
• dharma-sāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + sāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound; Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• samuddiṣṭaḥ: is declared
• samuddiṣṭaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ud-diś (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘has been declared/indicated’

• pretya: after death
• pretya: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-i (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive used adverbially (क्त्वान्त-अव्यय), ‘having died/after death’

• ananta-phala-pradaḥ: bestowing endless fruits
• ananta-phala-pradaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ananta (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (multi-member); Masculine, Nominative, Singular (agreeing with dharmasāraḥ)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing the sages (context of dharma-teaching in the Purva-bhāga)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kūrma (Vishnu)
• Dharma
• Nitya-karma
• Naimittika-karma
• Mukti (Moksha)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It distinguishes mokṣa (liberation) from dharma’s karmic framework: nitya and naimittika duties yield “endless fruits” after death, implying that Atman-realization (mukti) is a different, transcendent result not counted among ritual/ethical karmaphalas.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse foregrounds karma-yoga foundations: disciplined performance of obligatory and occasion-based duties as a purifying regimen that supports higher yogic realization (including Pāśupata-oriented inner worship taught elsewhere in the Kūrma tradition).

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

By presenting dharma as a universal discipline taught by Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) yet compatible with Śaiva-Pāśupata soteriology, it reflects the Purāṇa’s synthetic stance: shared dharma and purification leading toward the same highest truth.