Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 38

Prāyaścitta for Theft, Forbidden Foods, Impurity, and Ritual Lapses; Tīrtha–Vrata Remedies; Pativratā Mahātmyam via Sītā and Agni

Devanagari script

चाण्डालेन तु संस्पृष्टं पीत्वा वारि द्विजोत्तमः / त्रिरात्रेण विशुद्ध्येत पञ्चगव्येन चैव हि

Transliteration

cāṇḍālena tu saṃspṛṣṭaṃ pītvā vāri dvijottamaḥ / trirātreṇa viśuddhyeta pañcagavyena caiva hi

Translation

然而，若品行端正的二次生者饮了被旃陀罗触及之水，则三夜之后得清净——确然，并当兼服“五牛圣物”（pañcagavya）。

Word by Word

• चाण्डालेन: by a caṇḍāla
• चाण्डालेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाण्डाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; Instrumental: 'by a caṇḍāla'

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषबोधक अव्यय (particle: 'but/indeed')

• संस्पृष्टम्: touched/contaminated
• संस्पृष्टम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+स्पृश् (धातु) → संस्पृष्ट (क्त/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम् to वारि — 'touched/contaminated'

• पीत्वा: having drunk
• पीत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund) — 'having drunk'

• वारि: water
• वारि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Object

• द्विज-उत्तमः: the best of the twice-born
• द्विज-उत्तमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः — 'best of the twice-born'

• त्रि-रात्रेण: within three nights
• त्रि-रात्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; द्विगु-तत्पुरुषः — Instrumental: 'within three nights'

• विशुद्ध्येत: should be purified
• विशुद्ध्येत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विशुध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; 'should become purified'

• पञ्च-गव्येन: by pañcagavya
• पञ्च-गव्येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + गव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः — Instrumental: 'by pañcagavya (five cow-products)'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणबोधक अव्यय (emphatic particle) — 'indeed/only'

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (particle: 'for/indeed')

Speaker

Sūta (narrating a dharma/śauca instruction within the Purāṇic discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Caṇḍāla
• Dvija
• Pañcagavya

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames bodily purity as part of dharma for disciplined living, which supports steadiness of mind for higher knowledge, but it does not itself define Ātman.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights śauca (purificatory discipline) as a supportive limb of spiritual practice—maintaining ritual and bodily cleanliness to stabilize sādhana; no specific meditation technique is described in this verse.

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

It does not explicitly discuss Śiva–Viṣṇu unity; it contributes to the Purāṇa’s broader synthesis by emphasizing dharma and disciplined purification as a shared foundation for both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava sādhanā.