Shloka 14
Gṛhastha Livelihood, Āpad-dharma, and Sacrificial Stewardship of Wealth
चतुर्णामपि चैतेषां द्विजानां गृहमेधिनाम् / श्रेयान् परः परो ज्ञेयो धर्मतो लोकजित्तमः
caturṇāmapi caiteṣāṃ dvijānāṃ gṛhamedhinām / śreyān paraḥ paro jñeyo dharmato lokajittamaḥ
Parmi ces quatre sortes de maîtres de maison, nés deux fois, chacun des suivants doit être compris comme supérieur au précédent par la vertu du dharma, toujours plus apte à « conquérir les mondes », c’est-à-dire à obtenir un mérite spirituel et cosmique plus élevé.
Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the sages/Indradyumna on dharma
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
Indirectly: it frames spiritual progress through graded dharma. By purifying conduct and intention within household life, one becomes increasingly fit for higher realization—ultimately supporting Atman-knowledge taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.
The verse emphasizes dharmic discipline rather than a specific technique: faithful performance of household duties, yajña/ritual responsibility, and ethical purity as preparatory yoga (karma-yoga/niyama-like restraint) that strengthens eligibility for higher contemplative practice.
By grounding spiritual ascent in dharma that is shared across Shaiva and Vaishnava frameworks, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: righteous living is the common foundation leading toward the one Supreme, whether approached as Hari (Vishnu/Kurma) or as Śiva in Pashupata-oriented teachings.