Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 77

Daily Duties of Brāhmaṇas: Snāna, Sandhyā, Sūrya-hṛdaya, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and the Pañca-mahāyajñas

Devanagari script

प्राक्कूलेषु समासीनः कुशेषु प्राङ्मुखः शुचिः / तिष्ठंश्चेदीक्षमाणोर्ऽकं जप्यं कुर्यात् समाहितः

Transliteration

prākkūleṣu samāsīnaḥ kuśeṣu prāṅmukhaḥ śuciḥ / tiṣṭhaṃścedīkṣamāṇor'kaṃ japyaṃ kuryāt samāhitaḥ

Translation

مشرق والے کنارے پر کُش کے آسن پر بیٹھ کر، مشرق رُخ اور پاک ہو کر—ضرورت ہو تو کھڑے ہو کر بھی—سورج کو دیکھتے ہوئے، یکسو دل سے مقررہ جپ کرے۔

Word by Word

• प्राक्कूलेषु: on the eastern banks/shores
• प्राक्कूलेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राक्-कूल (प्रातिपदिक; प्राक् + कूल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (east + bank/shore)

• समासीनः: seated
• समासीनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आस् (धातु) → समासीन (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘seated’ (state of agent)

• कुशेषु: on kuśa grass (seats)
• कुशेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन

• प्राङ्मुखः: facing east
• प्राङ्मुखः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राङ्-मुख (प्रातिपदिक; प्राङ् + मुख)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (east-facing)

• शुचिः: pure/clean
• शुचिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तिष्ठन्: standing
• तिष्ठन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) → तिष्ठत् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक निपात (conditional particle)

• ईक्षमाणः: looking at
• ईक्षमाणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईक्ष् (धातु) → ईक्षमाण (कृदन्त, शानच्)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present middle participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अर्कम्: the sun
• अर्कम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• जप्यम्: to be recited
• जप्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जप् (धातु) → जप्य (कृदन्त, यत्/णीय)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive; ‘to be recited’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मविशेषण

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• समाहितः: with concentration
• समाहितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु) → समाहित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘collected, concentrated’

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing sages on dharma and ritual-yoga discipline

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Āditya (Sun)
• Kuśa grass

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents Atman-realization indirectly through disciplined purification and one-pointedness (samāhita). In the Kaurma framework, such japa and solar contemplation steady the mind so the inner Self can be recognized beyond ritual form.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes preparatory yogic discipline: śauca (purity), dik-orientation (facing east), āsana-like steadiness on kuśa, dhyāna through gazing on Āditya, and mantra-japa performed with samādhāna (collected attention)—a bridge from āhnika ritual to meditative yoga.

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

Though not naming Shiva explicitly, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: a Vaishnava speaker (Kūrma) teaches a practice also valued in Shaiva/Pāśupata discipline—purity, japa, and concentrated awareness—showing shared yogic ground rather than sectarian separation.