Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 8
Rules of Food, Acceptance, and Purity for the Twice-Born
Dvija-Śauca and Anna-Doṣa
स्तेननास्तिकयोरन्नं देवतानिन्दकस्य च / सोमविक्रयिणश्चान्नं श्वपाकस्य विशेषतः
stenanāstikayorannaṃ devatānindakasya ca / somavikrayiṇaścānnaṃ śvapākasya viśeṣataḥ
Food from a thief and from a nāstika (unbeliever), and also from one who reviles the gods; likewise food from one who sells Soma—especially from a dog‑cooker (outcaste)—is to be avoided as impure.
Sūta (narrator) conveying the Kurma Purana’s dharma injunctions to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: raudra
FAQs
This verse is primarily a dharma injunction on purity of food and association; it supports Atman-oriented practice indirectly by protecting sādhana from tamasic influences tied to unethical conduct and impure giving.
No specific meditation technique is taught here; the verse functions as yama-like ethical discipline—guarding diet and sources of sustenance to maintain sattva, which the Kurma Purana treats as supportive for mantra, worship, and higher yoga.
It does not directly discuss Shiva–Vishnu unity; instead, it reflects the Purana’s shared dharmic framework that undergirds both Shaiva and Vaishnava worship by emphasizing purity, reverence for the devas, and avoidance of anti-ritual conduct.