Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 34

Brahmacārin-Dharma: Guru-Sevā, Daily Vedic Study, Gāyatrī-Japa, and Anadhyāya Regulations

Devanagari script

मातृष्वसा मातुलानी श्वश्रूश्चाथ पितृष्वसा / संपूज्या गुरुपत्नीव समास्ता गुरुभार्यया

Transliteration

mātṛṣvasā mātulānī śvaśrūścātha pitṛṣvasā / saṃpūjyā gurupatnīva samāstā gurubhāryayā

Translation

Dì bên mẹ, vợ của cậu (bên mẹ), mẹ chồng (hoặc mẹ vợ), và dì bên cha—tất cả đều phải được tôn kính đúng phép như tôn kính vợ của thầy; hãy xem họ đồng hàng với phối ngẫu của guru trong lòng kính ngưỡng.

Word by Word

• मातृ-स्वसा: mother’s sister
• मातृ-स्वसा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ + स्वसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'mother' + 'sister'; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मातुलानी: maternal uncle’s wife
• मातुलानी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातुलानी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'maternal uncle’s wife/aunt'

• श्वश्रूः: mother-in-law
• श्वश्रूः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वश्रू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• अथ: and then/also
• अथ: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/प्रकरणारम्भ (sequencing particle)

• पितृ-स्वसा: father’s sister
• पितृ-स्वसा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ + स्वसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'father' + 'sister'; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सम्-पूज्याः: are to be honored
• सम्-पूज्याः: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) + यत् (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त, यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; 'to be honored'

• गुरु-पत्नी-इव: like the guru’s wife
• गुरु-पत्नी-इव: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गुरु + पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक) + इव (अव्यय)
• Form: इव-युक्त उपमानवाचक अव्यय-प्रयोग; 'like the guru’s wife'

• समास्ताः: are included/treated as
• समास्ताः: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आस् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; 'included/considered as'

• गुरु-भार्यया: with/as the guru’s wife
• गुरु-भार्यया: Sahārtha/Instrument (सहार्थ/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु + भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'guru' + 'wife'; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सह/तुल्य-भावे करण (instrumental of association/identification)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating Vyāsa’s dharma-teaching in the Kurma Purana’s Purva-bhaga context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Guru
• Varnashrama Dharma

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by prescribing reverence and restraint, it supports dharmic purification (śuddhi) that makes the mind fit for Self-knowledge; ethical conduct is treated as a prerequisite for higher realization in the Purāṇic yoga-dharma framework.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse emphasizes foundational yama/niyama-style discipline—humility, respect, and controlled behavior toward those who deserve honor—seen in the Kurma Purana as the ethical base that stabilizes the mind for mantra, worship, and contemplative practice.

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

Not directly; however, the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis commonly frames such dharma (respect for guru-lineage and elders) as universally binding for devotees of both Hari and Hara, forming the shared moral ground for their unified spiritual teaching.