Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 59

Karma-yoga Discipline for the Twice-born: Upanayana, Upavīta Conduct, Guru-veneration, and Alms-regimen

Devanagari script

समाहृत्य तु तद् भैक्षं यावदर्थममायया / भुञ्जीत प्रयतो नित्यं वाग्यतो ऽनन्यमानसः

Transliteration

samāhṛtya tu tad bhaikṣaṃ yāvadarthamamāyayā / bhuñjīta prayato nityaṃ vāgyato 'nanyamānasaḥ

Translation

将所乞得的施食收集起来，不以欺诳，只取所需之量；应当日日以清净而食，摄持言语，使心专注于至上主宰（自在天），不缘他物。

Word by Word

• समाहृत्य: having collected
• समाहृत्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभावेन; धातु: हृ (to take/bring) उपसर्ग: सम्+आ

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थे

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• भैक्षम्: alms-food
• भैक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• यावत्-अर्थम्: as much as needed
• यावत्-अर्थम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; नपुंसक एकवचन रूपेण अव्ययवत्; अर्थे: ‘यावदर्थम्’ = आवश्यकपरिमाणम्

• अमायया: with guilelessness/sincerity
• अमायया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• भुञ्जीत: should eat
• भुञ्जीत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रयतः: disciplined/pure
• प्रयतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to implied ‘he’)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक द्वितीया एकवचन (adverbial accusative)

• वाक्-यतः: restrained in speech
• वाक्-यतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक) + यत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वाचः यतः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘speech-restrained’

• अनन्य-मानसः: with undistracted mind
• अनन्य-मानसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (अनन्यं मानसः यस्य/अनन्यं मानसम्); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘single-minded’

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing on dharma and yogic discipline

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• Bhiksha (alms)
• Yati (renunciate)
• Supreme Self (Atman/Ishvara)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By prescribing “ananya-mānasaḥ” (single-mindedness), the verse points to steadiness in the Supreme (Ishvara/Atman) as the inner orientation that purifies even basic acts like eating.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes yama-niyama style disciplines: non-deceit (amāyā), moderation in food (yāvad-artha), purity and vigilance (prayata), restraint of speech (vāg-yata), and one-pointed mind (ananya-manas) supportive of Pashupata-oriented practice.

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

While Vishnu (as Lord Kurma) speaks, the ethic of single-minded devotion and disciplined renunciation aligns with the Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis—one Supreme approached through yogic restraint, beyond sectarian division.