Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 21
Dāna-dharma: Types of Charity, Worthy Recipients, Vrata-Timings, and Śiva–Viṣṇu Propitiation
प्रीयतां धर्मराजेति यद् वा मनसि वर्तते / यावज्जीवकृतं पापं तत्क्षणादेव नश्यति
prīyatāṃ dharmarājeti yad vā manasi vartate / yāvajjīvakṛtaṃ pāpaṃ tatkṣaṇādeva naśyati
If even the thought arises in one’s mind, “May Dharmarāja (Yama), the Lord of Justice, be pleased,” then all sin accumulated throughout one’s life is destroyed that very instant.
Narrator/Sage (Purāṇic discourse) describing the fruit of inner resolve and dharma-oriented remembrance
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It implies that inner orientation (manas) is decisive: when the mind turns toward dharma and accountability, karmic impurity dissolves—hinting that purification begins in consciousness, the seat where Atman is recognized as distinct from sinful tendencies.
It highlights manasa-japa and bhāva-śuddhi—mental repetition/inner resolve aligned with dharma. In Kurma Purana’s broader yoga-ethic, such intention supports self-restraint, repentance, and karmic cleansing as a prerequisite to higher yogic steadiness.
Indirectly, it reflects the Purana’s integrative stance: liberation and purification are not sectarian but dharma-centered—inner devotion and ethical alignment matter more than labels, consistent with the text’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis.