Shloka 21
Gṛhastha Livelihood, Āpad-dharma, and Sacrificial Stewardship of Wealth
योर्ऽथो धर्माय नात्मार्थः सोर्ऽथो ऽनर्थस्तथेतरः / तस्मादर्थं समासाद्य दद्याद् वै जुहुयाद् यजेत्
yor'tho dharmāya nātmārthaḥ sor'tho 'narthastathetaraḥ / tasmādarthaṃ samāsādya dadyād vai juhuyād yajet
ಧರ್ಮಕ್ಕಾಗಿ, ಸ್ವಾರ್ಥಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಅಲ್ಲದೆ ಸಂಪಾದಿಸಿದ ಧನವೇ ನಿಜವಾದ ಅರ್ಥ; ಕೇವಲ ತನ್ನಿಗಾಗಿ ಗಳಿಸಿದ ಧನ ಅನರ್ಥವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ಸಂಪತ್ತು ಪಡೆದವನು ದಾನ ಮಾಡಲಿ, ಹೋಮ ಮಾಡಲಿ, ಯಜ್ಞಾರಾಧನೆ ಮಾಡಲಿ।
Traditional narration within the Kurma Purana’s dharma-teaching section (speaker not explicitly specified in the provided excerpt; presented as authoritative puranic instruction aligned with Lord Kurma’s dharmic counsel).
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
It warns against treating the self (ātma) as the sole end of wealth; artha becomes meaningful only when subordinated to Dharma, implying that true well-being is aligned with a higher spiritual-ethical order rather than egoic self-interest.
Rather than meditation techniques, the verse emphasizes karma-yoga in a puranic frame: purifying action through dāna (charity), homa/juhoti (fire-offerings), and yajña (sacrificial worship), which disciplines desire and reorients artha toward Dharma.
This verse is primarily ethical and ritual, not sectarian; it reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance where dharmic action (yajña, homa, dāna) is upheld as universally purifying across Shaiva-Vaishnava practice.