Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 28
Īśvara-Gītā (continued): Twofold Yoga, Aṣṭāṅga Discipline, Pāśupata Meditation, and the Unity of Nārāyaṇa–Maheśvara
बाह्यमाभ्यन्तरं शौचं द्विधा प्रोक्तं द्विजोत्तमाः / मृज्जलाभ्यां स्मृतं बाह्यं मनःशुद्धिरथान्तरम्
bāhyamābhyantaraṃ śaucaṃ dvidhā proktaṃ dvijottamāḥ / mṛjjalābhyāṃ smṛtaṃ bāhyaṃ manaḥśuddhirathāntaram
Ó melhores entre os duas-vezes-nascidos, a pureza (śauca) é declarada de dois tipos: externa e interna. A pureza externa é obtida pela limpeza com terra (argila) e água; a pureza interna é a purificação da mente.
Lord Kūrma (as Īśvara) instructing the sages (dvijottamāḥ) within the Ishvara Gita discourse
Primary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
By prioritizing manaḥ-śuddhi (purification of mind) as true inner purity, the verse implies that realization of the Self/Īśvara depends on inner transformation rather than merely outward ritual cleanliness.
It frames a core yogic prerequisite: internal śauca—cleansing the mind through restraint, ethical discipline, and contemplative purification—supporting Pāśupata-oriented practice where inner purity enables steadiness in japa, dhyāna, and devotion to Īśvara.
While not naming Śiva-Viṣṇu explicitly, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: the same Īśvara teaches yogic inner purity as the decisive factor—an approach shared across Śaiva (Pāśupata) and Vaiṣṇava devotional frameworks.