Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 57
Karma-yoga Discipline for the Twice-born: Upanayana, Upavīta Conduct, Guru-veneration, and Alms-regimen
गुरोः कुले न भिक्षेत न ज्ञातिकुलबन्धुषु / अलाभे त्वन्यगेहानां पूर्वं पूर्वं विवर्जयेत्
guroḥ kule na bhikṣeta na jñātikulabandhuṣu / alābhe tvanyagehānāṃ pūrvaṃ pūrvaṃ vivarjayet
Man soll weder im Haushalt des Guru um Almosen bitten noch bei Verwandten und familiären Bindungen. Bleibt die Gabe aus, so gehe man zu anderen Häusern und meide der Reihe nach die zuvor bereits aufgesuchten.
Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing in dharma-guidelines for disciplined living
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
Indirectly: by prescribing non-dependence on personal ties and disciplined restraint, it supports inner detachment (vairagya), a prerequisite for steady contemplation of the Atman beyond social identity.
A preparatory discipline akin to yama/niyama: regulated alms-seeking, avoidance of familiar households that create attachment, and non-repetition that curbs craving—supporting steadiness for mantra, japa, and contemplative practice emphasized in Kurma Purana’s broader yogic ethos.
Not by explicit doctrine, but by shared dharmic method: the same ascetic restraint valued in Shaiva (including Pashupata-leaning) and Vaishnava paths is taught here by Lord Kurma, reflecting the Purana’s synthesis in practical sadhana.