Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 77

Cosmic Manifestation, Mahāmāyā’s Mandate, Varṇāśrama-Dharma, and the Unity of the Trimūrti

Devanagari script

ऋणानित्रीण्यपाकृत्यत्यक्त्वा भार्याधनादिकम् / एकाकी यस्तु विचरेदुदासीनः स मौक्षिकः

Transliteration

ṛṇānitrīṇyapākṛtyatyaktvā bhāryādhanādikam / ekākī yastu vicaredudāsīnaḥ sa maukṣikaḥ

Translation

Sau khi đã trả xong ba món nợ thiêng, lại từ bỏ vợ, của cải và những điều tương tự, ai một mình du hành, thản nhiên ly nhiễm, không vướng ràng buộc thế tục—người ấy được gọi là «maukṣika», kẻ cầu giải thoát.

Word by Word

• ṛṇāni: debts
• ṛṇāni: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• trīṇi: three
• trīṇi: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक विशेषण (numeral adjective), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• apākṛtya: having cleared away
• apākṛtya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: apa-ā-√kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): ‘having removed/cleared (off)’

• tyaktvā: having abandoned
• tyaktvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tyaj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): ‘having abandoned’

• bhāryā-dhana-ādikam: wife, wealth, and the like
• bhāryā-dhana-ādikam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā + dhana + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective copulative) with ādi-suffix: ‘wife, wealth, etc.’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ekākī: alone; solitary
• ekākī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka + ākī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: ‘एकः (सन्) आकी/आकीर्ण-रहितः’ (alone); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tu: but; indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ (but/indeed)

• vicaret: should wander
• vicaret: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √car (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• udāsīnaḥ: detached; indifferent
• udāsīnaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udāsīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• maukṣikaḥ: one aiming at liberation; emancipated type
• maukṣikaḥ: Pratijñā/Predicate nominal (प्रत्ययार्थ/नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maukṣika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing sages/seekers on dharma and moksha

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Vishnu
• Moksha
• Trina Rina (three debts)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By defining the moksha-seeker as one who becomes udāsīna (disengaged from possessiveness and social identity), the verse points to Atman-realization as rooted in dis-identification from external roles and attachments rather than in acquisition.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes the preparatory discipline for Yoga—vairāgya (detachment) and viveka (discrimination)—after fulfilling dharmic obligations (the three debts). This aligns with Kurma Purana’s renunciant ideal that supports contemplative practice leading to liberation.

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

Though Shiva is not named here, the teaching reflects the shared Shaiva–Vaishnava soteriology of the Kurma Purana: liberation is attained through inner renunciation and yogic detachment, a principle upheld across both Pashupata-leaning and Vishnu-centered instruction.