Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 35
Vānaprastha-Dharma: Forest Discipline, Vaikhānasa Austerities, and Śiva-Āśrama as the Liberative Refuge
ग्रामादाहृत्य वाश्नीयादष्टौ ग्रासान् वने वसन् / प्रतिगृह्य पुटेनैव पाणिना शकलेन वा
grāmādāhṛtya vāśnīyādaṣṭau grāsān vane vasan / pratigṛhya puṭenaiva pāṇinā śakalena vā
Living in the forest, one should obtain food from the village and eat only eight mouthfuls. Having accepted it, one should take it only in the hollow of the hands—either with cupped palms, with the hand itself, or by means of a small piece used as a scoop.
Traditional narrator (Purāṇic instruction on āśrama-dharma; framed within the Kurma Purana’s teaching lineage)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
By prescribing strict moderation and simplicity, the verse supports inner quietude (śama) and reduced sense-dependence—conditions that make contemplation of the Self possible, even though it speaks primarily as a rule of conduct.
It highlights preparatory discipline: regulated intake (mitāhāra), non-accumulation, and humility in accepting alms—practices that stabilize the mind and support tapas and meditation, consistent with Kurma Purana’s yoga-oriented dharma.
Indirectly: the shared ascetic ethic—restraint, tapas, and purity—functions as common ground in the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis, where devotion and yoga are strengthened through the same disciplined lifestyle.