Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 33
Prayāga-māhātmya — The Greatness of Prayāga and the Discipline of Pilgrimage
सर्वरत्नमयैर्दिव्यैर्नानाध्वजसमाकुलैः / वराङ्गनासमाकीर्णैर्मोदते शुभलक्षणः
sarvaratnamayairdivyairnānādhvajasamākulaiḥ / varāṅganāsamākīrṇairmodate śubhalakṣaṇaḥ
Surrounded by divine structures fashioned of every kind of jewel, crowded with many banners, and thronged with noble women, that auspiciously marked one rejoices.
Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing the scene; traditional transmission via Sūta to sages)
Primary Rasa: shringara
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It does not directly define Ātman; instead it depicts outward prosperity and auspicious signs, which the Purāṇa often contrasts with inner realization taught elsewhere (e.g., the Ishvara-gītā’s emphasis on the Self beyond sensory delight).
No explicit yoga practice is stated in this verse; it functions as narrative description of splendor. In the Kurma Purana’s broader teaching, such enjoyments are typically subordinated to dharma and later to disciplined yoga (including Pāśupata-oriented devotion and restraint).
This verse is descriptive and does not name Śiva or Viṣṇu; in the Kurma Purana’s overall synthesis, worldly auspiciousness is ultimately meaningful when aligned with devotion to the one Supreme who is praised through both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava idioms.