Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18
Kali-yuga Doṣas, the Supremacy of Rudra as Refuge, and the Closure of the Manvantara Teaching
उच्चासनस्थाः शूद्रास्तु द्विजमध्ये परन्तप / ज्ञात्वा न हिंसते राजा कलौ कालबलेन तु
uccāsanasthāḥ śūdrāstu dvijamadhye parantapa / jñātvā na hiṃsate rājā kalau kālabalena tu
Dans l’âge de Kali, ô fléau des ennemis, même les Śūdra siégeront sur de hauts sièges au milieu des dvija. Pourtant le roi, sachant que cela procède de la puissance écrasante du Temps (Kāla), ne recourt pas à la violence.
Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing King Indradyumna (context: teachings on dharma amid Kali-yuga conditions)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
Indirectly, it points to a core Purāṇic-Yogic insight: worldly upheavals are governed by Kāla (Time), so wise governance rests on discernment rather than ego-driven reaction—an attitude aligned with self-mastery associated with Atman-centered understanding.
The verse emphasizes restraint (ahiṃsā/akrodha) and viveka (discriminative understanding) in action—practical yogic disciplines that stabilize the mind and support dharmic leadership, resonant with Kurma Purana’s broader yoga-śāstra orientation.
While not naming Śiva explicitly, the ethic of non-violence, inner restraint, and submission to Kāla reflects the shared Shaiva-Vaishnava dharma-yoga framework in the Kurma Purana, where spiritual governance aligns with universal order rather than sectarian rivalry.