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
ಆಶ್ರಮಕ್ಕೆ ಬಂದು ಅವನು ಮರುಮರು ಭಿಕ್ಷೆಯನ್ನು ಯಾಚಿಸಿದನು. ತನ್ನದೇ ಸ್ವರೂಪವನ್ನು ಮಾಯೆಯಿಂದ ಧರಿಸಿ ಆ ದೇವನು ಆ ಅರಣ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ಬಂದನು.
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.