Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 10

Daily Duties of Brāhmaṇas: Snāna, Sandhyā, Sūrya-hṛdaya, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and the Pañca-mahāyajñas

Devanagari script

अशक्तावशिरस्कं वा स्नानमस्य विधीयते / आर्द्रेण वाससा वाथ मार्जनं कापिलं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

aśaktāvaśiraskaṃ vā snānamasya vidhīyate / ārdreṇa vāsasā vātha mārjanaṃ kāpilaṃ smṛtam

Translation

若有人无力（行全仪）或头上无发，亦为其制定沐浴之法；或以湿布拭身，也被传记为名为“迦毗罗（Kāpila）”的净化方式。

Word by Word

• अशक्त-अवशिरस्कम्: (for one who is) weak or without a head (i.e., head ailment/without head-bath)
• अशक्त-अवशिरस्कम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aśakta (प्रातिपदिक) + avaśiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (अशक्तश्च अवशिरस्कश्च)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle: or)

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• अस्य: for him/of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; षष्ठी एकवचन (Gen sg)

• विधीयते: is prescribed
• विधीयते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√dhā (धातु)
• Form: लट्; आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (is prescribed)

• आर्द्रेण: with wet
• आर्द्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārdra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन; विशेषण (of वाससा)

• वाससा: cloth/garment
• वाससा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन (Instr sg)

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

• अथ: then/else
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक/विकल्पार्थक निपात (then/else)

• मार्जनम्: wiping/cleansing
• मार्जनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārjana (प्रातिपदिक; from √mṛj ‘to wipe/clean’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• कापिलम्: Kāpila (as per Kapila’s rule/tradition)
• कापिलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāpila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण (of मार्जनम्)

• स्मृतम्: is declared/considered
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: smṛta (कृदन्त; √smṛ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विधेय-विशेषण (is said/remembered)

Speaker

Traditional Purāṇic narrator (instructional dharma discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Kāpila (mode of purification)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes śauca (purity) as an outer discipline that supports inner clarity—preparing the practitioner for self-knowledge and devotion, even though the verse itself is about bodily purification.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No direct āsana or dhyāna is taught; the verse highlights preparatory yogic discipline (yama/niyama-type śauca). It permits an alternative cleansing (wet-cloth wiping) when full bathing is not feasible, supporting consistent sādhana.

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

It does not explicitly mention Shiva or Vishnu; it reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative dharma framework where ritual purity serves as a shared foundation for both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva modes of worship and yoga.