Shloka 20
Āvāhāryaka-Śrāddha: Qualifications of Recipients, Paṅkti-Pāvana, and Exclusions
तस्माद् यत्नेन योगीन्द्रमीश्वरज्ञानतत्परम् / भोजयेद् हव्यकव्येषु अलाभादितरान् द्विजान्
tasmād yatnena yogīndramīśvarajñānatatparam / bhojayed havyakavyeṣu alābhāditarān dvijān
Therefore, with careful effort, at rites of havya and kavya—offerings to the gods and to the ancestors—one should feed the foremost of yogins, devoted to the knowledge of the Lord (Īśvara). Only when such a one is not obtainable should other twice-born brāhmaṇas be fed.
Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing the sages (in the Kurma Purana’s dharma discourse)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
It prioritizes one who is steadfast in Īśvara-jñāna (knowledge of the Lord), implying that spiritual realization and God-knowledge are superior qualifications—more central than mere birth or ritual status.
The verse highlights the ideal recipient as a “yogīndra,” indicating a practitioner established in yoga and contemplation, whose inner discipline culminates in Īśvara-jñāna; such yogic attainment is treated as the highest eligibility in ritual contexts.
By centering the criterion on Īśvara-jñāna (knowledge of the one Lord), it reflects the Purāṇic synthesis where the supreme Īśvara is approached through yoga and devotion beyond sectarian boundaries, consistent with the text’s Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava harmonizing tone.