Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23
Vārāṇasī (Avimukta) Māhātmya and the Catalogue of Guhya-Tīrthas
ते प्रणम्य महात्मानं जग्मुः पैलादयो द्विजाः / वासं च तत्र नियतो वाराणस्यां चकार सः
te praṇamya mahātmānaṃ jagmuḥ pailādayo dvijāḥ / vāsaṃ ca tatra niyato vārāṇasyāṃ cakāra saḥ
Les sages deux-fois-nés—à commencer par Paila—se prosternèrent devant cette grande âme et s’en allèrent. Quant à lui, résolu et discipliné, il établit sa demeure là, à Vārāṇasī.
Narrator (Purana-samvada frame; the verse is narrative, not direct speech)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
Indirectly: it emphasizes reverence to a “mahātman” and the disciplined resolve (niyata) needed for higher realization—preparatory virtues that the Kurma Purana associates with spiritual knowledge.
The key cue is “niyataḥ” (disciplined/self-restrained), pointing to niyama-like observances and steadiness of conduct—foundational for Purāṇic Yoga and for the Pāśupata-oriented ethic of regulated living.
This specific verse does not explicitly mention Shiva or Vishnu; it supports the Purana’s broader synthesis by foregrounding tirtha-residence (Kashi) and disciplined life as shared Shaiva–Vaishnava spiritual ground.