Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 18
Tīrtha-Māhātmya and the Discipline of Pilgrimage (Tīrtha-sevā) within Prāyaścitta
तस्याः पुरस्तान्माहात्म्यं भाषितं वो मया त्विह / नान्यत्र लभ्यते मुक्तिर्योगिनाप्येकजन्मना
tasyāḥ purastānmāhātmyaṃ bhāṣitaṃ vo mayā tviha / nānyatra labhyate muktiryogināpyekajanmanā
Di sini telah aku tuturkan kepada kamu kemuliaan sucinya. Pembebasan tidak diperoleh di tempat lain—bahkan oleh seorang yogin pun—dalam satu kelahiran sahaja.
Lord Kurma (Vishnu) addressing sages/seekers
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It implies that moksha is not a casual, merely technical achievement; realization of the Self requires the right sacred means (upāya) and ripeness, not simply yogic effort compressed into one lifetime.
The verse contrasts ordinary yogic striving with the special efficacy of the praised spiritual focus (her māhātmya—often tied to devotion, sacred observance, and tirtha/Devi-upāsanā), indicating that disciplined yoga alone may not yield immediate liberation without grace and proper dharma.
By having Lord Kurma teach that liberation depends on the divinely sanctioned path and grace (often shared across Shaiva-Vaishnava frameworks), it supports the Kurma Purana’s synthetic stance: moksha is one, approached through aligned devotion, yoga, and dharma rather than sectarian separation.