Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 26
Rules of Food, Acceptance, and Purity for the Twice-Born
Dvija-Śauca and Anna-Doṣa
केशकीटावपन्नं च सहृल्लेखं च नित्यशः / श्वाघ्रातं च पुनः सिद्धं चण्डालावेक्षितं तथा
keśakīṭāvapannaṃ ca sahṛllekhaṃ ca nityaśaḥ / śvāghrātaṃ ca punaḥ siddhaṃ caṇḍālāvekṣitaṃ tathā
الطعام الذي سقطت فيه شعرة أو حشرة، والذي يعتاده التلوث بكثرة الملامسة؛ والطعام الذي شمَّه كلب؛ والذي طُبخ ثم أُعيد طبخه بعد أن كان مُعَدًّا؛ وكذلك ما وقع عليه نظرُ تشاندالا—فكل ذلك يُعَدّ نجسًا ويُجتنب.
Vyasa (narration of dharma-śāstra style rules within the Kurma Purana’s discourse)
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
This verse does not directly define Ātman; it establishes śauca (purity) as a practical dharmic discipline that supports steadiness of mind—an enabling condition for higher knowledge of the Self taught elsewhere in the Purāṇa.
No specific āsana or dhyāna is described; the focus is on āhāra-śuddhi (purity of food) as part of śauca-niyama—ethical-ritual discipline that stabilizes the sādhaka and is treated as supportive to Yoga and Pāśupata-oriented practice in the Kurma tradition.
The verse is a dharma rule rather than a theological statement; indirectly, it reflects the Purāṇa’s synthesis by grounding spiritual pursuit (whether Vaiṣṇava or Śaiva/Pāśupata) in shared disciplines like purity, restraint, and right conduct.