Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 32
Dakṣa-yajña-bhaṅgaḥ — Dadhīci’s Teaching and the Destruction of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice
त्यक्त्वा तपोबलं कृत्स्नं गच्छध्वं नरकान् पुनः / भविष्यति हृषीकेशः स्वाश्रितो ऽपि पराङ्मुखः
tyaktvā tapobalaṃ kṛtsnaṃ gacchadhvaṃ narakān punaḥ / bhaviṣyati hṛṣīkeśaḥ svāśrito 'pi parāṅmukhaḥ
«Indem ihr die ganze durch Askese gewonnene Kraft preisgebt, werdet ihr erneut in die Höllenreiche gehen. Selbst Hṛṣīkeśa, der Herr der Sinne, wird—auch wenn ihr Ihn als Zuflucht beansprucht—sein Antlitz von euch abwenden.»
A senior sage/teacher admonishing an audience (plural) within the Purva-bhaga narrative frame
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
It implies that spiritual power (tapo-bala) is not merely accumulated merit but must be aligned with steadfast dharma and inner orientation toward the Lord; when one turns outward (parāṅmukha), the inner refuge is effectively lost, and the person falls back into lower states of experience.
The verse points to tapas and indriya-saṃyama (sense-governance) under Hṛṣīkeśa—suggesting that austerity without sustained ethical discipline and devotion can collapse, leading to karmic regression rather than yogic ascent.
By emphasizing Hṛṣīkeśa as the inner Lord who governs the senses, it supports the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance: true yoga and dharma are validated by inner orientation to Īśvara—whether expressed through Vaiṣṇava devotion or Śaiva-Pāśupata discipline—rather than sectarian identity alone.