Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 6
Vānaprastha-Dharma: Forest Discipline, Vaikhānasa Austerities, and Śiva-Āśrama as the Liberative Refuge
जटाश्च बिभृयान्नित्यं नखरोमाणि नोत्सृजेत् / स्वाध्यायं सर्वदा कुर्यान्नियच्छेद् वाचमन्यतः
jaṭāśca bibhṛyānnityaṃ nakharomāṇi notsṛjet / svādhyāyaṃ sarvadā kuryānniyacched vācamanyataḥ
Ia hendaknya selalu mengenakan jata (rambut gimbal tapa) dan tidak mengabaikan perawatan kuku serta rambut tubuh. Ia senantiasa melakukan svādhyāya dan menahan ucapan dari omong kosong duniawi.
Narratorial instruction within the Purva-bhaga’s dharma teaching (traditional Kurma Purana voice, framed as authoritative dharma-upadesha)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
By prescribing svādhyāya and restraint, the verse points to inner purification: disciplined study and controlled speech reduce distraction and help the seeker turn awareness inward toward the Atman rather than outward toward transient talk and habits.
It highlights core niyamas: svādhyāya (scriptural recitation and contemplative study) and vāg-niyama (restraint of speech). These support concentration (dhāraṇā) and steadiness of mind, aligning with the Kurma Purana’s broader yogic-ethical training associated with Pāśupata-leaning discipline.
Indirectly: it emphasizes practical dharma-yoga disciplines shared across Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions—purity, tapas, svādhyāya, and self-restraint—reflecting the Kurma Purana’s synthetic approach where devotion and yogic conduct converge beyond sectarian difference.