Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 30

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

Devanagari script

कृष्णाष्टम्यां विशेषेण धार्मिकाय द्विजातये / स्नात्वाभ्यर्च्य यथान्यायं पादप्रक्षालनादिभिः

Transliteration

kṛṣṇāṣṭamyāṃ viśeṣeṇa dhārmikāya dvijātaye / snātvābhyarcya yathānyāyaṃ pādaprakṣālanādibhiḥ

Translation

尤其在黑八日（Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī），持守法义的二次生者应先沐浴，继而依正法仪则礼拜，并行洗足等诸般常规供事。

Word by Word

• कृष्ण-अष्टम्याम्: on the dark eighth lunar day
• कृष्ण-अष्टम्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कालाधिकरण

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (instrumental used adverbially: especially)

• धार्मिकाय: to/for the righteous
• धार्मिकाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धार्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying dvijātaye)

• द्विजातये: to a twice-born (brāhmaṇa)
• द्विजातये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• यथा-न्यायम्: according to proper procedure
• यथा-न्यायम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + न्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (according to rule)

• पाद-प्रक्षालन-आदिभिः: by (means of) foot-washing and the like
• पाद-प्रक्षालन-आदिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रक्षालन (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; साधन (means)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing sages on vrata and pūjā-vidhi

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī
• Dvija (twice-born)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames outer purification (snāna) and disciplined worship (yathānyāya) as supports for inner dharma—preparing the practitioner for steadiness of mind, which the Kurma Purana elsewhere links to realization of the Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes preparatory discipline—purificatory bathing and orderly upacāras (like pādaprakṣālana). In the Kurma Purana’s broader soteriology, such niyama-like observances support concentration and devotional absorption that culminate in yoga.

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

It does so implicitly through shared ritual grammar: the prescribed pūjā-vidhi and purity norms are common to both Shaiva and Vaishnava worship, reflecting the Kurma Purana’s synthetic approach rather than sectarian separation.