Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 27

Saṃnyāsa-dharma — Qualifications, Threefold Renunciation, and the Conduct of the Yati

Devanagari script

वेदान्तज्ञाननिष्ठो वा पञ्च यज्ञान् समाहितः / कुर्यादहरहः स्नात्वा भिक्षान्नेनैव तेन हि

Transliteration

vedāntajñānaniṣṭho vā pañca yajñān samāhitaḥ / kuryādaharahaḥ snātvā bhikṣānnenaiva tena hi

Translation

又或者，安住于吠檀多之智、摄心不散者，应当日日行五种日常祭（pañca-yajña）；并在每日沐浴之后，仅以乞得之食来完成这些祭行。

Word by Word

• vedānta-jñāna-niṣṭhaḥ: steadfast in Vedānta-knowledge
• vedānta-jñāna-niṣṭhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vedānta+jñāna+niṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘वेदान्तज्ञाननिष्ठ’ (steadfast in Vedānta-knowledge)

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

• pañca: five
• pañca: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcan (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्द; (here) ‘यज्ञान्’ विशेषण—पञ्च (five)

• yajñān: sacrifices
• yajñān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• samāhitaḥ: composed, attentive
• samāhitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-√dhā (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि—‘समाहित’

• kuryāt: should perform
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ahar-ahaḥ: day by day, daily
• ahar-ahaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ahar+ahas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (reduplicative adverbial) — ‘प्रतिदिनम्’

• snātvā: having bathed
• snātvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Gerundial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √snā (धातु) + ktvā (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund) — ‘स्नात्वा’ (having bathed)

• bhikṣā-annena: with alms-food
• bhikṣā-annena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhikṣā+anna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; साधन—‘भिक्षान्नेन’

• eva: only/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात—अवधारणार्थक

• tena: by that/therewith
• tena: Karaṇa (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; अन्वय—‘तेन (that/thereby)’

• hi: indeed, for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Reasoning particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात—हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक (indeed/for)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing on dharma and yogic discipline

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Vedānta
• Pañca-yajña
• Bhikṣā

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By placing the practitioner in “Vedānta-knowledge,” the verse points to realization of the Self as the highest grounding; ritual action is then performed from inner steadiness rather than for personal gain.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes samādhāna (mental collectedness) and daily purity (snāna), integrating disciplined conduct with contemplative Vedānta—an applied yogic lifestyle aligned with Kurma Purana’s dharma-yoga synthesis.

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

While not naming Shiva directly, the teaching reflects the Purana’s synthesis: the Lord’s instruction harmonizes jñāna (Vedānta insight) with yajña-based discipline, a shared Shaiva–Vaishnava framework of liberation through purified action and knowledge.