Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 3

Bhojana-vidhi and Nitya-karman: Directions for Eating, Prāṇa-Oblations, Sandhyā, and Conduct Leading to Apavarga

Devanagari script

पञ्चार्द्रे भोजनं कुर्याद् भूमौ पात्रं निधाय तु / उपवासेन तत्तुल्यं मनुराह प्रजापतिः

Transliteration

pañcārdre bhojanaṃ kuryād bhūmau pātraṃ nidhāya tu / upavāsena tattulyaṃ manurāha prajāpatiḥ

Translation

当只在白昼的第五分时进食，并将器皿置于地上；生主摩奴宣说：如此行持，其功德等同于斋戒。

Word by Word

• पञ्च-अर्द्रे: when (the food) is five parts moist (i.e., with water)
• पञ्च-अर्द्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु/संख्यासमास; नपुंसकलिङ्गे/अधिकरणे सप्तमी एकवचन (अत्र ‘पञ्चार्द्रे’ = पञ्चमात्रे अर्द्रे/आर्द्रतायाम्—परिमाण/अवस्था)

• भोजनम्: meal/eating
• भोजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन

• पात्रम्: vessel/plate
• पात्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन

• निधाय: having placed
• निधाय: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund); “having placed”

• तु: and/then
• तु: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अवधानार्थक

• उपवासेन: by fasting
• उपवासेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन (करण)

• तत्-तुल्यम्: equal to that
• तत्-तुल्यम्: Predicate adjective (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (तस्य तुल्यम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन—अत्र विधेयविशेषणम् (भोजनस्य)

• मनुः: Manu
• मनुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/perfect); प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रजापतिः: the Lord of creatures
• प्रजापतिः: Apposition (समाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; मनोः विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

Speaker

Narratorial/Smṛti authority cited within the Purāṇic teaching (Manu as Prajāpati); presented as a dharma-instruction within the Kurma Purana discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Manu
• Prajapati

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by prescribing restraint in eating and a disciplined lifestyle, it supports purification of mind (citta-śuddhi), which is traditionally held to be necessary for realizing the Atman.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights āhāra-niyama (regulation of food) and upavāsa-tulya tapas (austerity comparable to fasting), foundational disciplines that stabilize the senses and prepare one for higher yogic practices emphasized elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

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

This verse is primarily dharma-focused and does not explicitly address Shiva–Vishnu unity; it contributes to the shared austerity-and-purity framework honored across both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava traditions in the Kurma Purana.