Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 20
Vānaprastha-Dharma: Forest Discipline, Vaikhānasa Austerities, and Śiva-Āśrama as the Liberative Refuge
मृगैः सह चरेद् वासं तैः सहैव च संवसेत् / शिलायां शर्करायां वा शयीत सुसमाहितः
mṛgaiḥ saha cared vāsaṃ taiḥ sahaiva ca saṃvaset / śilāyāṃ śarkarāyāṃ vā śayīta susamāhitaḥ
森において鹿とともに住み、ともに歩み、彼らのごとくに生きよ。しかして心をよく統一し、正念を具えて、裸の岩または砂利の上に臥して休むべきである。
Vyasa (narratorial instruction within the Kurma Purana’s dharma-yoga teaching context)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
By stressing “susaṃāhitaḥ” (deep composure), the verse points to inner stabilization as the doorway to Self-knowledge—when outer comforts are minimized, attention can turn inward toward the witnessing Atman.
It highlights austerity (tapas) and sense-restraint through simple living—moving quietly in nature and sleeping on rock or gravel—supporting a collected mind (samāhita) suitable for meditation and disciplined yoga practice.
Indirectly: the Purana’s Shiva–Vishnu synthesis is reflected in shared yogic ideals—renunciation, tapas, and mental concentration—valued across both Shaiva (Pāśupata) and Vaishnava devotional-yogic frameworks.