Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 42

Brahmacārin-Dharma: Guru-Sevā, Daily Vedic Study, Gāyatrī-Japa, and Anadhyāya Regulations

Devanagari script

प्राक्कूलान् पर्युपासीनः पवित्रैश्चैव पावितः / प्राणायामैस्त्रिभिः पूतस्तत ओङ्कारमर्हति

Transliteration

prākkūlān paryupāsīnaḥ pavitraiścaiva pāvitaḥ / prāṇāyāmaistribhiḥ pūtastata oṅkāramarhati

Translation

面向东方之岸而坐，又以清净圣仪而得净化，并以三次调息（prāṇāyāma）而洗涤身心；于是方堪修持观想并诵念圣音“唵”（Pranava，Oṁ）。

Word by Word

• prāk-kūlān: towards the eastern bank(s)
• prāk-kūlān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāk-kūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः: प्राक् (पूर्व) कूलाः येषां (eastern banks) / ‘east-facing banks’ as object of orientation

• paryupāsīnaḥ: seated near (properly)
• paryupāsīnaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari+upa+√ās (धातु); paryupāsīna (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle) used as adjective, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having sat near/attentively seated’

• pavitraiḥ: with purifying (means/grass-rings)
• pavitraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pavitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• pāvitaḥ: purified
• pāvitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāvita (प्रातिपदिक; √pū (धातु) causative/denom)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; past participle

• prāṇāyāmaiḥ: by breath-controls
• prāṇāyāmaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa-āyāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: प्राणस्य आयामः (extension/control of breath)

• tribhiḥ: with three
• tribhiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण

• pūtaḥ: purified
• pūtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūta (प्रातिपदिक; √pū (धातु))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; past participle

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ततः (thereafter/from that)

• oṅkāram: the syllable Oṃ
• oṅkāram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: oṅkāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• arhati: is entitled to/should (utter)
• arhati: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing on yogic and ritual prerequisites for pranava-upasana

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Omkara (Pranava)
• Pranayama
• Purificatory rites (pavitra)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By presenting Oṁ (the Pranava) as the culminating object of disciplined contemplation, the verse implies that realization of the Supreme is approached through inner purification—when the mind and vital currents are cleansed, one becomes qualified to meditate on the sonic-symbol of Brahman/Īśvara.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes ritual and internal purification, correct orientation/seat (a disciplined, reverential posture), and the threefold prāṇāyāma as immediate preparation; only after these does one begin pranava-japa or pranava-dhyāna as a higher yogic practice.

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

While Vishnu (as Kurma) teaches the practice, the method—purification, prāṇāyāma, and pranava-upāsanā—belongs to the shared Yoga-śāstra honored across Shaiva and Vaishnava streams, reflecting the Purana’s synthetic, non-sectarian approach to Īśvara-worship.