Shloka 102
Devadāru (Dāruvana) Forest: The Delusion of Ritual Pride, the Liṅga Crisis, and the Teaching of Jñāna–Pāśupata Yoga
आश्रमे ऽभ्यागतो भिक्षां याचते च पुनः पुनः / मायां कृत्वात्मनो रूपं देवस्तद् वनमागतः
āśrame 'bhyāgato bhikṣāṃ yācate ca punaḥ punaḥ / māyāṃ kṛtvātmano rūpaṃ devastad vanamāgataḥ
彼は庵（アーシュラマ）に来て、幾度も施しを乞うた。マーヤーによって自らの姿を現し、そのデーヴァはその森へと赴いた。
Narrator (Purāṇic narration, traditionally Sūta/Vyāsa lineage)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It presents the Deva as able to “assume his own form through māyā,” implying sovereignty over appearance and concealment—an indicator of the higher Self’s freedom to manifest without being bound by manifestations.
The verse foregrounds āśrama-dharma and the discipline of giving (bhikṣā-dāna). In the Kurma Purana’s spiritual ethic, such repeated encounters test steadiness (dhairya), non-irritability, and self-control—foundational virtues that support later yogic practice.
By using the broad title “Deva” and emphasizing māyā (a shared Purāṇic idiom for divine agency), the verse fits the Kurma Purana’s integrative style where the one divine reality operates through different names and forms, supporting Shaiva–Vaishnava harmony.