Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 20
Agnihotra, Seasonal Śrauta Duties, and the Authority of Śruti–Smṛti–Purāṇa
तेषामभिमतो यः स्याच्चेतसा नित्यमेव हि / स धर्मः कथितः सद्भिर्नान्येषामिति धारणा
teṣāmabhimato yaḥ syāccetasā nityameva hi / sa dharmaḥ kathitaḥ sadbhirnānyeṣāmiti dhāraṇā
That which they (the noble and disciplined) continually hold as acceptable in their own conscience—indeed, that is called dharma by the good; the conviction is that it is not so for others (who lack such steadiness and purity of mind).
Sūta (narrator) conveying the traditional definition upheld by the sadācāra of the righteous (within the Kurma Purana’s dharma discourse)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
It grounds dharma in the stable inner assent (cetas) of the righteous—what the good consistently approve in conscience and conduct is treated as dharma.
The verse implies yogic self-discipline: purification and steadiness of mind so that conscience becomes reliable; this aligns with Kurma Purana’s broader emphasis on inner restraint (yama/niyama-like virtues) as the basis of right action.
Indirectly, it reflects the Purana’s synthesis by prioritizing inner purity and righteous discernment over sectarian labels—dharma is validated by realized conduct, a shared Shaiva–Vaishnava ethical foundation.