Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 12

Naimiṣa-kṣetra-prādurbhāva and Jāpyeśvara-māhātmya — Nandī’s Birth, Japa, and Consecration

Devanagari script

अत्र दानं तपस्तप्तं स्नानं जप्यादिकं च यत् / एकैकं पावयेत् पापं सप्तजन्मकृतं द्विजाः

Transliteration

atra dānaṃ tapastaptaṃ snānaṃ japyādikaṃ ca yat / ekaikaṃ pāvayet pāpaṃ saptajanmakṛtaṃ dvijāḥ

Translation

在此处，噢诸位两次生者，每一项单独的修持——布施、如法苦行、沐浴净身，以及念诵持咒（japa）等——都能净化累积于七世之罪业。

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb: “here”)

• दानम्: gift, charity
• दानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• तप्तम्: performed/undertaken (austerity)
• तप्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तपः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• स्नानम्: bath
• स्नानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• जप्यादिकम्: japa and the like
• जप्यादिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप्य + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (आदि-समास: “japa etc.”), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• यत्: whatever (that)
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; यत्-किम् सम्बन्ध

• एकैकम्: each one (separately)
• एकैकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (iterative sense: “each single one”), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; पापम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पावयेत्: would purify
• पावयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच् (causative) प्रयोगः: पावयति

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• सप्तजन्मकृतम्: committed over seven births
• सप्तजन्मकृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त + जन्म + कृत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (“seven-birth-done”), कृत = कृ (धातु) + क्त (PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पापम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे अपि प्रयुज्यते (vocative sense possible)

Speaker

Narrator/Teacher voice within the Purāṇic discourse (instruction addressed to dvijas)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Dvija
• Dāna
• Tapaḥ
• Snāna
• Japa

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by stressing purification through dāna, tapas, snāna, and japa, it implies that removing pāpa and mental impurity is a prerequisite for Atman-knowledge—clarity (śuddhi) enables realization.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Japa is explicitly named, along with tapas (disciplined restraint) and ritual purification (snāna). Together they function as preparatory sādhana—ethical and mental cleansing that supports deeper meditative steadiness in Yoga-śāstra terms.

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

This verse does not name Śiva or Viṣṇu directly; it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthesis by emphasizing universally accepted purificatory disciplines (japa/tapas/dāna) that serve devotion and liberation across Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava frameworks.