Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 2
Gṛhastha Livelihood, Āpad-dharma, and Sacrificial Stewardship of Wealth
द्विविधस्तु गृही ज्ञेयः साधकश्चाप्यसाधकः / अध्यापनं याजनं च पूर्वस्याहुः प्रतिग्रहम् / कुसीदकृषिवाणिज्यं प्रकुर्वोतास्वयङ्कृतम्
dvividhastu gṛhī jñeyaḥ sādhakaścāpyasādhakaḥ / adhyāpanaṃ yājanaṃ ca pūrvasyāhuḥ pratigraham / kusīdakṛṣivāṇijyaṃ prakurvotāsvayaṅkṛtam
A householder is known to be of two kinds: the sādhaka, disciplined in practice, and the non-practitioner. For the former, the duties are said to be teaching, officiating at yajñas, and accepting gifts. But the latter pursues moneylending at interest, agriculture, and trade—livelihoods contrived for worldly gain.
Sūta (narrator) conveying the Kurma Purana’s teaching on varṇāśrama-dharma
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
FAQs
It does not directly define Ātman; it frames dharma in terms of disciplined household life, implying that inner sādhana should govern livelihood rather than mere profit-driven activity.
No specific yogic technique is named; the verse emphasizes sādhana as a mode of life for the gṛhastha—aligning one’s work with śāstric duty (teaching, yajña-service, and righteous receiving) rather than restless worldly enterprises.
This verse is primarily dharma-oriented and does not address Shiva–Vishnu unity explicitly; it supports the Purana’s broader synthesis by presenting disciplined duty (sādhaka gṛhastha) as a shared foundation for devotion across sectarian lines.