Shloka 19
Agnihotra, Seasonal Śrauta Duties, and the Authority of Śruti–Smṛti–Purāṇa
धर्मेणाभिगतो यैस्तु वेदः सपरिबृंहणः / ते शिष्टा ब्राह्मणाः प्रोक्ता नित्यमात्मगुणान्विताः
dharmeṇābhigato yaistu vedaḥ saparibṛṃhaṇaḥ / te śiṣṭā brāhmaṇāḥ proktā nityamātmaguṇānvitāḥ
Aquellos que, por medio del dharma, se acercan al Veda—junto con sus explicaciones y complementos—son proclamados Brāhmaṇas ejemplares (śiṣṭas), siempre dotados de las virtudes del Sí mismo (Ātman).
Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing in dharma and standards of śiṣṭa conduct
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
It frames spiritual authority as rooted in ātmaguṇa—inner, Self-aligned virtues—implying that true Vedic mastery is validated by purified character and self-discipline, not mere recitation.
The verse foregrounds ethical groundwork—dharma and ātmaguṇa—as the prerequisite discipline that supports higher Yoga (including Pāśupata-oriented restraint, purity, and truthfulness) taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.
While not naming Śiva or Viṣṇu directly, it reflects the Purāṇa’s integrative approach: dharma-based Vedic study and inner virtues are presented as universal foundations for devotion and Yoga across both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva paths.