Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 20
Bhojana-vidhi and Nitya-karman: Directions for Eating, Prāṇa-Oblations, Sandhyā, and Conduct Leading to Apavarga
नार्धरात्रे न मध्याह्ने नाजीर्णे नार्द्रवस्त्रधृक् / न च भिन्नासनगतो न शयानः स्थितो ऽपि वा
nārdharātre na madhyāhne nājīrṇe nārdravastradhṛk / na ca bhinnāsanagato na śayānaḥ sthito 'pi vā
अर्धरात्री नाही, मध्यान्ही नाही, अजीर्ण अवस्थेत नाही, ओले वस्त्र परिधान करून नाही; तुटलेल्या/अयोग्य आसनावर बसून नाही; झोपून नाही—आणि उभे राहूनही (जप/पाठ) करू नये।
Traditional narration context: instructional passage attributed to the Kurma Purana’s teaching voice (Vyasa/Suta-style puranic narrator conveying dharma-vidhi)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
FAQs
Indirectly: it emphasizes disciplined conditions for practice, implying that realization of the Self is approached through regulated mind-body conduct rather than casual or careless recitation.
It highlights niyama-like restraints for mantra-japa and contemplation: proper timing, physical cleanliness/dry clothing, and a stable seated posture—rejecting distracted states like lying down or standing.
The verse itself is procedural and non-sectarian: it presents shared yogic-dharmic discipline compatible with both Shaiva (Pashupata) and Vaishnava devotional frameworks within the Kurma Purana.