Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 130
Prāyaścitta for Theft, Forbidden Foods, Impurity, and Ritual Lapses; Tīrtha–Vrata Remedies; Pativratā Mahātmyam via Sītā and Agni
सा प्रत्ययाय भूतानां सीता मायामीय पुनः / विवेश पावकं दीप्तं ददाह ज्वलनो ऽपि ताम्
sā pratyayāya bhūtānāṃ sītā māyāmīya punaḥ / viveśa pāvakaṃ dīptaṃ dadāha jvalano 'pi tām
Entonces Sītā—reanudando una vez más su propio poder divino de māyā—entró en el fuego ardiente y resplandeciente para dar certeza a todos los seres; y aun el dios del fuego la quemó (solo en apariencia).
Purāṇic narrator (recitation within the Kurma Purana’s narrative frame)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
By describing Sītā as “assuming māyā,” the verse hints at a Purāṇic metaphysics where the pure reality is untouched, while appearances are mediated through māyā—suggesting that ultimate truth is established beyond mere sensory judgment.
No specific yogic technique is prescribed in this verse; rather, it emphasizes pratyaya (firm conviction/ascertainment). In Yoga-śāstra terms, pratyaya is a stabilizing certainty that supports dharma and right discernment amid doubt and social perception.
While neither Śiva nor Viṣṇu is named here, the verse uses shared Purāṇic categories—māyā, dharma, and divine vindication—common to both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava theological language, aligning with the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis.