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Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 27

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

माता मातामही गुर्वो पितुर्मातुश्च सोदराः / श्वश्रूः पितामहीज्येष्ठा धात्री च गुरवः स्त्रियः

mātā mātāmahī gurvo piturmātuśca sodarāḥ / śvaśrūḥ pitāmahījyeṣṭhā dhātrī ca guravaḥ striyaḥ

Mẹ và bà ngoại phải được tôn kính như bậc guru; cũng vậy, các chị em ruột của cha và của mẹ. Lại nữa, mẹ chồng, người lớn tuổi nhất trong các bà nội (bà nội bậc trưởng), và người vú nuôi đã dưỡng dục—những người nữ ấy cũng được xem là các bậc guru.

mātāmother
mātā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
mātāmahīmaternal grandmother
mātāmahī:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmātāmahī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
gurvau(are) two elders
gurvau:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootguru (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन (गुरु-शब्द; 'two elders')
pituḥof the father
pituḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
TypeNoun
Rootpitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
mātuḥof the mother
mātuḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
TypeNoun
Rootmātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय
sodarāḥ(their) full siblings
sodarāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsodara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'सह-उदर' (uterine siblings)
śvaśrūḥmother-in-law
śvaśrūḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootśvaśrū (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
pitāmahī-jyeṣṭhāthe elder paternal grandmother
pitāmahī-jyeṣṭhā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpitāmahī + jyeṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'पितामही या ज्येष्ठा' (elder paternal grandmother / senior among grandmothers)
dhātrīnurse (wet-nurse)
dhātrī:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootdhātrī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; धात्री (nurse/wet-nurse)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय
guravaḥelders/teachers
guravaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootguru (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
striyaḥwomen
striyaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootstrī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

G
Guru
M
Mātā (Mother)
M
Mātāmahī (Maternal Grandmother)
Ś
Śvaśrū (Mother-in-law)
D
Dhātrī (Nurse/Foster-mother)

FAQs

Indirectly: it grounds spiritual life in dharma—cultivating humility and reverence toward those who embody care and guidance, which supports inner purification needed for Self-knowledge taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

No technique is named; the verse emphasizes ethical discipline (yama-like foundations)—honoring and serving one’s gurus, especially maternal elders—seen as preparatory conduct that stabilizes the mind for mantra, worship, and contemplative practice described in the Purana’s yoga-oriented sections.

It does not directly discuss Shiva–Vishnu unity; it supports the shared dharmic framework within which the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis operates—reverence to gurus and elders as a universal prerequisite for devotion and liberation.