Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 18

Rules of Food, Acceptance, and Purity for the Twice-Born

Dvija-Śauca and Anna-Doṣa

Devanagari script

पायसं स्नेहपक्वं यद् गोरसं चैव सक्तवः / पिण्याकं चैव तैलं च शूद्राद् ग्राह्यं द्विजातिभिः

Transliteration

pāyasaṃ snehapakvaṃ yad gorasaṃ caiva saktavaḥ / piṇyākaṃ caiva tailaṃ ca śūdrād grāhyaṃ dvijātibhiḥ

Translation

以酥油烹煮的乳粥（pāyasa），并乳与面粉制品；以及油饼（榨油后的饼渣）与油——这些，二次生者（dvija）可从首陀罗处受取。

Word by Word

• पायसम्: rice-pudding/milk-porridge
• पायसम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• स्नेहपक्वम्: cooked with ghee/fat
• स्नेहपक्वम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नेह + पक्व (प्रातिपदिक; √पच् (धातु) से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (स्नेहेन/स्नेहस्य पक्वम्) पायसम् इति विशेषण

• यत्: which
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Relativizer)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative)

• गोरसम्: cow’s milk
• गोरसम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + रस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गोः रसः)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphasis)

• सक्तवः: parched grain/flour (saktu)
• सक्तवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सक्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (पाठान्तर/रूप: सक्तवः = सक्तवः/सक्तवः)

• पिण्याकम्: oil-cake/sesame residue
• पिण्याकम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्याक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• एव: indeed
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• तैलम्: oil
• तैलम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• शूद्रात्: from a Śūdra
• शूद्रात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; अपादान (source)

• ग्राह्यम्: to be accepted/taken
• ग्राह्यम्: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle) = ‘to be taken/acceptable’

• द्विजातिभिः: by the twice-born (Brahmin etc.)
• द्विजातिभिः: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि + जाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (द्वे जात्यौ यस्य/द्विजातिः = twice-born)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating dharma-teachings of the Kūrma Purāṇa in a normative, śāstra-like voice)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Śūdra
• Dvijāti

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is not an ātma-tattva teaching; it belongs to varṇāśrama-dharma and regulates what kinds of food-items may be accepted in social exchange, emphasizing disciplined conduct (dharma) as a support for inner purity.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No explicit yoga practice is taught here. Indirectly, it supports the yogic ideal of śauca (purity) and restraint by specifying permissible items for acceptance, which complements later Kurma Purana discussions of Pāśupata-oriented discipline and mental steadiness.

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

It does not directly address Śiva–Viṣṇu unity; it is a dharma injunction. In the broader Kurma Purana synthesis, such dharma regulation functions as the ethical foundation upon which devotion and yogic realization—whether framed through Śaiva or Vaiṣṇava idioms—can mature.