Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 48

Prāyaścitta for Theft, Forbidden Foods, Impurity, and Ritual Lapses; Tīrtha–Vrata Remedies; Pativratā Mahātmyam via Sītā and Agni

Devanagari script

दशाहं द्वादशाहं वा परिहार्य प्रमादतः / कृच्छ्रं चान्द्रायणं कुर्यात् तत्पापस्यापनुत्तये

Transliteration

daśāhaṃ dvādaśāhaṃ vā parihārya pramādataḥ / kṛcchraṃ cāndrāyaṇaṃ kuryāt tatpāpasyāpanuttaye

Translation

Sau khi trước hết kiêng tránh—do lỡ phạm vì sơ suất—trong mười ngày hoặc mười hai ngày, người ấy nên thực hành các khổ hạnh sám hối Kṛcchra và Cāndrāyaṇa để trừ diệt tội ấy.

Word by Word

• दशाहम्: ten days
• दशाहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (दश अहानि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (कालपरिमाण)

• द्वादशाहम्: twelve days
• द्वादशाहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (द्वादश अहानि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

• परिहार्य: having avoided
• परिहार्य: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि-हृ (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यबन्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• प्रमादतः: through negligence
• प्रमादतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रमाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb), ‘from/through negligence’

• कृच्छ्रम्: Kṛcchra penance
• कृच्छ्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• चान्द्रायणम्: Cāndrāyaṇa penance
• चान्द्रायणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चान्द्रायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तत्-पापस्य: of that sin
• तत्-पापस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तत्-सम्बद्धं पापम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• अपनुत्तये: for the removal
• अपनुत्तये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप-नुद् (धातु) + ति (प्रातिपदिक: अपनुत्ति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

Speaker

Traditional narrator in the dharma-prāyaścitta section (instructional voice of the Purāṇa, presented as authoritative dharma-teaching within the Kurma Purana’s discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Kṛcchra
• Cāndrāyaṇa

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily dharma-oriented (prāyaścitta) rather than metaphysical: it emphasizes ethical self-regulation and purification after pramāda (negligence), which supports inner clarity conducive to realizing the Ātman, but it does not directly define the Supreme Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights tapas-based discipline: Kṛcchra and Cāndrāyaṇa are structured austerities (often involving regulated diet and restraint). In the Kurma Purana’s broader spiritual framework, such vows function as preparatory purification (śuddhi) that steadies the mind for japa, dhyāna, and higher yoga.

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

This specific verse does not mention Śiva or Viṣṇu explicitly; it reflects the shared Purāṇic dharma principle that purification through tapas and expiation restores harmony with divine order—an ethic compatible with the Kurma Purana’s wider Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava synthesis.