Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 20
Agnihotra, Seasonal Śrauta Duties, and the Authority of Śruti–Smṛti–Purāṇa
तेषामभिमतो यः स्याच्चेतसा नित्यमेव हि / स धर्मः कथितः सद्भिर्नान्येषामिति धारणा
teṣāmabhimato yaḥ syāccetasā nityameva hi / sa dharmaḥ kathitaḥ sadbhirnānyeṣāmiti dhāraṇā
त्या सत्शिष्टांच्या मनाला जे नित्य स्वीकार्य वाटते—तेच सज्जनांनी ‘धर्म’ म्हणून सांगितले आहे; निश्चय असा की इतर (अस्थिर-चित्त) लोकांसाठी ते तसे नाही.
Sūta (narrator) conveying the traditional definition upheld by the sadācāra of the righteous (within the Kurma Purana’s dharma discourse)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
It grounds dharma in the stable inner assent (cetas) of the righteous—what the good consistently approve in conscience and conduct is treated as dharma.
The verse implies yogic self-discipline: purification and steadiness of mind so that conscience becomes reliable; this aligns with Kurma Purana’s broader emphasis on inner restraint (yama/niyama-like virtues) as the basis of right action.
Indirectly, it reflects the Purana’s synthesis by prioritizing inner purity and righteous discernment over sectarian labels—dharma is validated by realized conduct, a shared Shaiva–Vaishnava ethical foundation.