Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 92

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

Devanagari script

ध्यात्वा प्रणवपूर्वं वै दैवतानि समाहितः / नमस्कारेण पुष्पाणि विन्यसेद् वै पृथक् पृथक्

Transliteration

dhyātvā praṇavapūrvaṃ vai daivatāni samāhitaḥ / namaskāreṇa puṣpāṇi vinyased vai pṛthak pṛthak

Translation

Trước hết, với tâm chuyên nhất, hãy quán niệm các thần linh—mở đầu bằng Praṇava thiêng liêng (Oṁ). Rồi, với lễ bái cung kính, hãy đặt hoa cúng dường riêng rẽ cho từng vị (thần).

Word by Word

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Kriyā (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया (having meditated)

• प्रणव-पूर्वम्: preceded by the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणव-पूर्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: ‘preceded by praṇava’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial use)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (indeed)

• दैवतानि: the deities
• दैवतानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (accusative/कर्म), बहुवचन (plural)

• समाहितः: composed/collected (in mind)
• समाहितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त) ‘collected, composed’; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

• नमस्कारेण: with salutation
• नमस्कारेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (instrumental/करण), एकवचन (singular)

• पुष्पाणि: flowers
• पुष्पाणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• विन्यसेत्: should place/arrange
• विन्यसेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नि-अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (indeed)

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Visheshana (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: separately)

• पृथक्: each separately
• पृथक्: Visheshana (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis); क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing worship procedure (pūjā-vidhi) to the inquiring sages

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Praṇava (Oṁ)
• Daivatāni (deities)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By insisting on praṇava-pūrva dhyāna and a samāhita (collected) mind, the verse points to inner recollection as primary—outer offerings become meaningful when grounded in the inward, unified awareness symbolized by Oṁ.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-led meditation (Oṁ as praṇava) and mental steadiness (samāhita), followed by mindful ritual action—an integrated sādhana where dhyāna guides pūjā and each offering is made with focused reverence.

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

By framing worship through praṇava and disciplined concentration rather than sectarian exclusivity, it supports the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: multiple divine forms may be honored distinctly, while practice is anchored in a single sacred principle (Oṁ) and unified devotion.