Shloka 3

Vānaprastha-Dharma: Forest Discipline, Vaikhānasa Austerities, and Śiva-Āśrama as the Liberative Refuge

Devanagari script

शुक्लपक्षस्य पूर्वाह्ने प्रशस्ते चोत्तरायणे / गत्वारण्यं नियमवांस्तपः कुर्यात् समाहितः

Transliteration

śuklapakṣasya pūrvāhne praśaste cottarāyaṇe / gatvāraṇyaṃ niyamavāṃstapaḥ kuryāt samāhitaḥ

Translation

Vào nửa tháng sáng, vào buổi tiền trưa, đúng thời khắc cát tường, và trong kỳ uttarāyaṇa (khi mặt trời chuyển về phương bắc), người ấy nên đi vào rừng. Giữ giới hạnh và tâm chuyên nhất, hãy thực hành khổ hạnh (tapas).

Word by Word

• śukla-pakṣasya: of the bright fortnight
• śukla-pakṣasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śukla (प्रातिपदिक) + pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya: śuklaḥ pakṣaḥ

• pūrvāhne: in the forenoon
• pūrvāhne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrvāhna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• praśaste: at an auspicious (time)
• praśaste: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praśasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with implied 'kāle' (time)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• uttarāyaṇe: in the northern solstice (uttarāyaṇa)
• uttarāyaṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttarāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), from √gam

• araṇyam: to the forest
• araṇyam: Karma (कर्म/गन्तव्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: araṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• niyamavān: disciplined
• niyamavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niyama-vat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); possessive adjective (मतुप्/वत् प्रत्यय)

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kuryāt: should perform
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• samāhitaḥ: composed, concentrated
• samāhitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-dhā (धातु)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle (क्त) meaning 'collected/intent'

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing on dharma and disciplined tapas (Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis ethos)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Uttarayana
• Shukla-paksha
• Aranya
• Tapas
• Niyama

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes prerequisites—purity, discipline, and mental collectedness—through which the seeker becomes fit to realize the Self beyond ritual timing.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

A niyama-centered approach: regulated observances, withdrawal to a quiet forest setting, and samādhāna (mental one-pointedness) as the basis for sustained tapas and contemplation.

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

By presenting a shared dharma of tapas and inner discipline valued across Shaiva and Vaishnava streams—an integrative spiritual ethic characteristic of the Kurma Purana.