Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 41

Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas: Liquor, Theft, Sexual Transgression, Contact with the Fallen, and Homicide

Devanagari script

ओङ्कारपूर्विकाभिस्तु महाव्याहृतिभिः सदा / संवत्सरं तु भुञ्जानो नक्तं भिक्षाशनः शुचिः

Transliteration

oṅkārapūrvikābhistu mahāvyāhṛtibhiḥ sadā / saṃvatsaraṃ tu bhuñjāno naktaṃ bhikṣāśanaḥ śuciḥ

Translation

但应恒常诵持以“唵”(Oṃ)为首的诸大吠诃利底（Mahā‑Vyāhṛti）；如此度过整整一年，行持清净者，当仅于夜间食一次，以乞食之食为生。

Word by Word

• ओङ्कार-पूर्विकाभिः: with (formulas) preceded by Oṃkāra
• ओङ्कार-पूर्विकाभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ओङ्कार + पूर्विक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय-प्रायः: ओङ्कारः पूर्वः यस्याः)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अन्वय-निपात

• महाव्याहृतिभिः: with the great utterances (vyāhṛtis)
• महाव्याहृतिभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाव्याहृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महती व्याहृतिः)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• संवत्सरम्: for a year
• संवत्सरम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; काल-परिमाणार्थे (duration)

• तु: and/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अन्वय-निपात

• भुञ्जानः: eating/partaking
• भुञ्जानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुज् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि; साधकस्य विशेषणम्

• नक्तम्: at night
• नक्तम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नक्तम् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (at night)

• भिक्षा-शनः: one whose food is alms
• भिक्षा-शनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिक्षा + शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (भिक्षायाः शनः/भोजनं यस्य)

• शुचिः: pure
• शुचिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing sages on vrata and disciplined recitation

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Omkara (Oṃ)
• Mahāvyāhṛtis
• Bhikṣā (alms)
• Vrata-dharma

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By prescribing Oṃ-led Vyāhṛti-japa with strict purity and restraint, the verse implies that realization is approached through inner purification and one-pointed remembrance of the Supreme signified by Oṃ—leading the mind toward the Self beyond ritual externals.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Mantra-japa of the Mahāvyāhṛtis preceded by Oṃ, combined with tapas: naktabhojana (eating once at night), bhikṣā (alms-based living), and śauca (purity). This aligns with Kurma Purana’s discipline-oriented Yoga ethos used for citta-śuddhi (mental purification).

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

Though not naming Shiva directly, the practice-centered teaching reflects the Purana’s synthetic stance: liberation is pursued through shared yogic-tapas traditions (often Shaiva in tone) while taught by Vishnu as Kūrma—indicating convergent paths rather than sectarian opposition.