Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 20

Śrāddha-vidhi for Pitṛs: Invitations, Purity, Offerings, and Conduct

Devanagari script

ततो निवृत्ते मध्याह्ने लुप्तलोमनखान् द्विजान् / अभिगम्य यथामार्गं प्रयच्छेद् दन्तधावनम्

Transliteration

tato nivṛtte madhyāhne luptalomanakhān dvijān / abhigamya yathāmārgaṃ prayacched dantadhāvanam

Translation

Rồi, khi quá giờ ngọ, hãy đến gần các vị dvija (nhị sinh) đã cắt tóc và tỉa móng, và theo đúng nghi thức, trao cho họ que chà răng để tẩy sạch răng miệng.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: क्रम (Sequence/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक

• निवृत्ते: when (it has) passed/ended
• निवृत्ते: कालाधिकरण (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + वृत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘वृत्/वृत्त’ with उपसर्ग ‘नि-’; ‘मध्याह्ने’ इति विशेषण (locative absolute sense)

• मध्याह्ने: at midday
• मध्याह्ने: कालाधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्याह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कालवाचक

• लुप्तलोमनखान्: with hair and nails removed/trimmed
• लुप्तलोमनखान्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लुप्त + लोमन् + नख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘द्विजान्’; समासः (लुप्ते लोमनि नखे च येषाम्—अर्थतः ‘shaved hair and nails trimmed’)

• द्विजान्: brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजान्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अभिगम्य: having approached
• अभिगम्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘अभि-गम्’ → अभिगम्य; पूर्वक्रिया

• यथा-मार्गम्: as is proper/according to rule
• यथा-मार्गम्: रीति (Manner/रीति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण ‘मार्गम्’

• प्रयच्छेत्: should give
• प्रयच्छेत्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्गः ‘प्र-’; धातोः ‘यच्छ’ आदेश (दा → यच्छ)

• दन्तधावनम्: tooth-cleaning (stick/powder)
• दन्तधावनम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त + धावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (दन्तानां धावनम्)

Speaker

Narrator in the Kurma Purana’s dharma-instructional discourse (contextually attributed within the Purva-bhaga teaching sequence, often framed as Lord Kurma/Vishnu’s guidance to sages).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Dvija

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse does not directly define the Atman; it emphasizes outward purity and disciplined conduct as part of dharma, which the Purana treats as a supportive foundation for higher spiritual realization taught elsewhere.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No explicit yogic technique is taught here; the focus is dinacharya and ritual cleanliness—preparatory disciplines that stabilize sattva and readiness for mantra, worship, and later yoga-instructions in the Kurma Purana.

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

It does not mention Shiva or Vishnu explicitly; it reflects the shared dharmic ground underlying the Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis, where purity, right conduct, and proper procedure support devotion and liberation-oriented practice.