Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 66
Dāna-dharma: Types of Charity, Worthy Recipients, Vrata-Timings, and Śiva–Viṣṇu Propitiation
यदिस्यादधिको विप्रः शीलविद्यादिभिः स्वयम् / तस्मै यत्नेन दातव्यं अतिक्रम्यापि सन्निधिम्
yadisyādadhiko vipraḥ śīlavidyādibhiḥ svayam / tasmai yatnena dātavyaṃ atikramyāpi sannidhim
Gibt es einen Brahmanen, der durch Lebenswandel, Wissen und ähnliche Tugenden überlegen ist, so soll man ihm mit besonderer Sorgfalt geben, selbst wenn man dafür die bloß Nahen übergehen muss.
Traditional narrator voice (Purāṇic instruction within a dāna-dharma discourse, attributed in the Kurma Purana’s frame to the teaching lineage headed by Lord Kūrma)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
This verse does not directly define Ātman; it teaches dharma through discernment in dāna—honouring inner qualities (śīla, vidyā) over mere external proximity, a principle consistent with Purāṇic emphasis on inner worth.
No specific yoga technique is taught here; the implied discipline is ethical yoga (yama-like virtues): cultivating discernment, restraint, and reverence for learning and character—foundational supports for higher sādhana in the Kurma Purana’s broader teaching.
It does not mention Śiva or Viṣṇu explicitly; its dharma instruction aligns with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis by grounding spiritual life in ethical conduct and right action, which both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava paths uphold as prerequisites for realization.