Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 113

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

Devanagari script

हन्तकारमथाग्रं वा भिक्षां वा शक्तितो द्विजः / दद्यादतिथये नित्यं बुध्येत परमेश्वरम्

Transliteration

hantakāramathāgraṃ vā bhikṣāṃ vā śaktito dvijaḥ / dadyādatithaye nityaṃ budhyeta parameśvaram

Translation

二生之人应随其能力，常常施与来客：或家中所备之食，或布施之钵食；并当于施与之时，了知并观想至上主帕拉梅湿伐罗即在此客中现前。

Word by Word

• हन्तकारम्: a full meal/abundant portion (hantakāra)
• हन्तकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हन्तकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अथ: then/also
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक/प्रस्तावार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)

• अग्रम्: a first portion / offering
• अग्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• भिक्षाम्: alms/food given as alms
• भिक्षाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• शक्तितः: according to ability
• शक्तितः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘from/according to ability’

• द्विजः: a twice-born man
• द्विजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अतिथये: to the guest
• अतिथये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (always)

• बुध्येत: should understand/recognize
• बुध्येत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बुध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• परमेश्वरम्: the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrating Vyāsa’s teaching to the sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Parameśvara
• Atithi
• Dvija

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It teaches Īśvara-bhāvanā: the Supreme Lord is to be recognized as present in the guest, so service and giving become a direct spiritual practice of seeing the Divine in embodied beings.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes inner recollection (budhyeta) while performing charity—an applied form of bhakti and smṛti that purifies the mind, forming an ethical base for higher yogic disciplines described elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

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

By using the inclusive term Parameśvara and stressing divine presence in the guest, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the Supreme is one, approached through dharma and devotion beyond rigid deity-separation.