Shloka 46
Prākṛta-pralaya, Pratisarga Doctrine, and the Ishvara-Samanvaya of Yoga and Devotion
अत्राप्यशक्तो ऽथ हरं विष्णुं बह्माणमर्चयेत् / अथ चेदसमर्थः स्यात् तत्रापि मुनिपुङ्गवाः / ततो वाय्वग्निशक्रादीन् पूजयेद् भक्तिसंयुतः
atrāpyaśakto 'tha haraṃ viṣṇuṃ bahmāṇamarcayet / atha cedasamarthaḥ syāt tatrāpi munipuṅgavāḥ / tato vāyvagniśakrādīn pūjayed bhaktisaṃyutaḥ
ഇവിടെയും അശക്തനാണെങ്കിൽ ഹരൻ (ശിവൻ), വിഷ്ണു, ബ്രഹ്മാവ് എന്നിവരെ അർച്ചിക്കണം. അതിലും അസമർത്ഥനാകുന്നുവെങ്കിൽ, ഹേ മുനിപുങ്ഗവന്മാരേ, ഭക്തിയോടെ വായു, അഗ്നി, ശക്രൻ (ഇന്ദ്രൻ) മുതലായ ദേവന്മാരെ പൂജിക്കണം।
Suta (narrator) conveying the Kurma Purana’s dharma-teaching in a sage-dialogue setting
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It implies a graded approach to the One sacred goal: worship may be directed to major deities (Śiva–Viṣṇu–Brahmā) or, when limited, to other devatās—suggesting that sincere bhakti can function as an access-point toward the same highest reality upheld by the Purāṇic synthesis.
The verse emphasizes bhakti-yukta upāsanā (devotionally grounded worship) as a practical discipline when one lacks full ritual ability—aligning with Purāṇic yoga as steadiness of mind, reverence, and continuity of practice through accessible forms.
By placing Hara (Śiva) and Viṣṇu together as legitimate objects of worship within the same directive, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava harmony: devotion can be offered without sectarian rupture, with multiple deities serving the one dharmic path.