Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 3

Dāna-dharma: Types of Charity, Worthy Recipients, Vrata-Timings, and Śiva–Viṣṇu Propitiation

Devanagari script

यद् ददाति विशिष्टेभ्यः श्रद्धया परया युतः / तद् वै वित्तमहं मन्ये शेषं कस्यापि रक्षति

Transliteration

yad dadāti viśiṣṭebhyaḥ śraddhayā parayā yutaḥ / tad vai vittamahaṃ manye śeṣaṃ kasyāpi rakṣati

Translation

凡人以至上信心施与贤善应受者之物，唯此我称为真实之财；其余不过是替他人暂为保管而已。

Word by Word

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा-विभक्ति (here correlating object ‘what’), एकवचन

• ददाति: gives
• ददाति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विशिष्टेभ्यः: to the distinguished (persons)
• विशिष्टेभ्यः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; √शिष् with vi-; past participle used as adjective/noun)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (4th/5th; here dative), बहुवचन

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परया: supreme, intense
• परया: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (श्रद्धया)

• युतः: endowed (with)
• युतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युत (प्रातिपदिक; √युज्/√यु ‘to join’, past participle)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (कर्ता)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Vidhēya (विधेय/predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (here predicate ‘that’), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• वित्तम्: true wealth
• वित्तम्: Vidhēya (विधेय/predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त (प्रातिपदिक; √विद् ‘to know’ → ‘acquired’, also ‘wealth’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (predicate nominative), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मन्ये: think, consider
• मन्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• शेषम्: the remainder
• शेषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कस्य: of someone/anyone
• कस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: even/any
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/सम्भावनार्थक अव्यय (particle: ‘even/also/any’)

• रक्षति: protects/saves
• रक्षति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching dharma

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• Dāna
• Śraddhā

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By redefining “wealth” as selfless giving done with śraddhā, the verse shifts identity from possession to dharmic action—hinting that the enduring value lies in inner intention rather than external accumulation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes śraddhā and tyāga (faith and relinquishment), which function as inner disciplines supporting yogic purification—reducing grasping (aparigraha-like restraint) and aligning action with dharma.

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

Though not naming Shiva directly, the teaching reflects the Purana’s synthesizing ethos: dharma-based inner purification (central to both Vaiṣṇava bhakti and Śaiva/Pāśupata discipline) is presented as the true measure of spiritual wealth.