Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 14

Saṃnyāsa-dharma — Qualifications, Threefold Renunciation, and the Conduct of the Yati

Devanagari script

एकवासाथवा विद्वान् कौपीनाच्छादनस्तथा / मुण्डी शिखी वाथ भवेत् त्रिदण्डी निष्परिग्रहः / काषायवासाः सततं ध्यानयोगपरायणः

Transliteration

ekavāsāthavā vidvān kaupīnācchādanastathā / muṇḍī śikhī vātha bhavet tridaṇḍī niṣparigrahaḥ / kāṣāyavāsāḥ satataṃ dhyānayogaparāyaṇaḥ

Translation

عالم سنیاسی ایک ہی کپڑا پہنے یا صرف لنگوٹ سے ڈھکا رہے۔ وہ منڈا ہوا ہو یا شِکھا والا، تری دَण्ड دھارے اور بےملکیت رہے۔ کَشایہ (زعفرانی) لباس پہن کر ہمیشہ دھیان-یوگ میں منہمک رہے۔

Word by Word

• eka-vāsaḥ: one-clothed (wearing a single garment)
• eka-vāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka + vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘one-clothed’

• athavā: or
• athavā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive conjunction (विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय)

• vidvān: a learned man
• vidvān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidvas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kaupīna-ācchādanaḥ: one covered with a loincloth
• kaupīna-ācchādanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaupīna + ācchādana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘having loincloth as covering’

• tathā: thus/likewise
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Manner indeclinable (प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय)

• muṇḍī: shaven-headed ascetic
• muṇḍī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muṇḍin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘shaven-headed’

• śikhī: one with a topknot
• śikhī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘with a topknot’

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय)

• atha: then/and
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Connector particle (अनन्तरार्थक/समुच्चयार्थक निपात)

• bhavet: should be
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• tri-daṇḍī: tridaṇḍin (three-staff bearer)
• tri-daṇḍī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri + daṇḍin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘bearer of three staffs’

• niṣ-parigrahaḥ: without possessions
• niṣ-parigrahaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niṣ + parigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); privative ‘without possessions’

• kāṣāya-vāsāḥ: wearer of ochre robes
• kāṣāya-vāsāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāṣāya + vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘wearing ochre garments’

• satatam: always
• satatam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satatam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (नित्यत्ववाचक-अव्यय)

• dhyāna-yoga-parāyaṇaḥ: devoted to meditation-yoga
• dhyāna-yoga-parāyaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhyāna + yoga + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘devoted to meditation-yoga’

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Kurma Purana’s teaching on renunciation as received from the sages/lineage)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Kurma Purana
• Sannyasa Dharma
• Tridanda
• Dhyana Yoga
• Niṣparigraha

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By emphasizing niṣparigraha (non-possession) and constant dhyāna-yoga, the verse points to Self-realization through inner detachment rather than outer status—purifying body, speech, and mind so awareness rests in the Atman.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights dhyāna-yoga as a continuous discipline, supported by renunciate restraints: minimal clothing, simplicity, the tridanda ideal (governing body–speech–mind), and non-grasping (niṣparigraha) as practical foundations for steady meditation.

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

The verse presents a shared yogic-ascetic ideal—ochre robes, meditation, and non-possession—common to both Shaiva (including Pāśupata-oriented) and Vaishnava renunciate streams, reflecting the Kurma Purana’s integrative (non-sectarian) spiritual ethic.