Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 22
Bhojana-vidhi and Nitya-karman: Directions for Eating, Prāṇa-Oblations, Sandhyā, and Conduct Leading to Apavarga
न ब्रह्म कीर्तयन् वापि न निः शेषं न भार्यया / नान्धकारे न चाकाशे न च देवालयादिषु
na brahma kīrtayan vāpi na niḥ śeṣaṃ na bhāryayā / nāndhakāre na cākāśe na ca devālayādiṣu
One should not recite or praise Brahman in an improper way—neither carelessly nor without reverence; nor in the company of one’s wife. Not in darkness, not in exposed places under the open sky, and not within temples and similar precincts when such recitation is inappropriate there.
Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing King Indradyumna (didactic discourse on dharma and disciplined practice).
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
FAQs
By restricting careless or unsuitable praise of “Brahman,” the verse implies that realization and recitation relating to the Supreme are not casual acts; they require inner discipline and proper context, aligning outer behavior with reverence for the Self/Absolute.
It highlights preparatory restraints (yama-like discipline) for mantra-japa and kīrtana: recite with attention, in appropriate places and conditions, avoiding distraction and impropriety—foundational to Purāṇic Yoga practice and later Pāśupata-oriented discipline.
While not naming Śiva directly, the verse reflects the Kurma Purana’s shared Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava ethic: mantra practice and devotion to the Supreme must be regulated by dharma and purity—an approach compatible with both Pāśupata discipline and Vaiṣṇava bhakti.