Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 109
Dakṣa’s Progeny, Nṛsiṃha–Varāha Avatāras, and Andhaka’s Defeat
Hari–Hara–Śakti Synthesis
न वेदबाह्ये पुरुषे पुण्यलेशो ऽपि शङ्कर / संगच्छते महादेव धर्मो वेदाद् विनिर्बभौ
na vedabāhye puruṣe puṇyaleśo 'pi śaṅkara / saṃgacchate mahādeva dharmo vedād vinirbabhau
O Śaṅkara, in einem Menschen, der außerhalb der Veden steht, kann nicht einmal der geringste Hauch von Verdienst wahrhaft verweilen. O Mahādeva, denn Dharma selbst ist aus den Veden hervorgegangen.
Lord Kurma (Vishnu) addressing Shiva (Śaṅkara/Mahādeva) within the Purāṇic discourse framework
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
Indirectly: it asserts that true dharma (the order that supports realization) is Veda-rooted; without that foundation, spiritual merit does not mature into the knowledge that culminates in Self-realization.
The verse does not list techniques; it sets the prerequisite that any Yoga—especially the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis such as Pāśupata-oriented discipline—must be aligned with Vedic dharma (ethical restraints, duty, and scriptural grounding) to bear fruit.
By addressing Śiva reverently while teaching Veda-based dharma, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian stance: Shiva and Vishnu uphold the same Vedic order, with shared commitment to dharma as the basis of liberation.