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
Ceux qui, par le dharma, s’approchent du Veda—avec ses développements explicatifs—sont déclarés des Brāhmaṇas exemplaires (śiṣṭas), toujours pourvus des vertus du Soi (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.