Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 50
Cosmic Manifestation, Mahāmāyā’s Mandate, Varṇāśrama-Dharma, and the Unity of the Trimūrti
ऐकाश्रम्यं गृहस्थस्य त्रयाणां श्रुतिदर्शनात् / तस्माद् गार्हस्थ्यमेवैकं विज्ञेयं धर्मसाधनम्
aikāśramyaṃ gṛhasthasya trayāṇāṃ śrutidarśanāt / tasmād gārhasthyamevaikaṃ vijñeyaṃ dharmasādhanam
Because the sacred scriptures declare that the householder upholds the other three āśramas, the gārhasthya stage alone should be known as the foremost means for accomplishing dharma.
Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing sages on Varnashrama Dharma
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
It does not directly define Ātman; it frames dharma pragmatically through āśrama-duty, implying that spiritual realization is supported by the stable ethical and ritual base provided by gārhasthya.
The verse highlights the dharmic infrastructure for sādhanā: as a householder one sustains yajña, dāna, hospitality, and support of renunciants—creating the conditions in which disciplines like Pāśupata-oriented devotion, mantra, and meditation can be pursued without neglecting social duty.
Indirectly: by centering śruti-based dharma rather than sectarian identity, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthesis where devotion and discipline—whether framed as Vaiṣṇava or Śaiva—stand upon the shared Vedic order of varṇāśrama.