Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 31
Yati-Āśrama: Bhikṣā-vidhi, Īśvara-dhyāna, and Prāyaścitta
Mahādeva as Non-dual Brahman
यदेतद् द्रविणं नाम प्राण ह्येते बहिश्वराः / स तस्य हरति प्राणान् यो यस्य हरते धनम्
yadetad draviṇaṃ nāma prāṇa hyete bahiśvarāḥ / sa tasya harati prāṇān yo yasya harate dhanam
Aquilo que se chama “riqueza” é, na verdade, o próprio sopro vital; esses poderes exteriores são apenas senhores do que é externo. Portanto, quem toma o bem de outrem, toma-lhe a própria vida.
Traditional narrator voice within the Purāṇic discourse (dharma-upadeśa context), attributed to the teaching stream of the Kurma Purana
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
Indirectly: it distinguishes the true life-force (prāṇa) from external possessions, implying that clinging to external ‘lords’ (bahiḥ-īśvarāḥ) obscures the inner reality; dharma begins by recognizing life as more fundamental than property.
The verse supports the ethical groundwork required for Yoga—non-stealing (asteya/steya-varjana) and restraint regarding artha—without which higher practices (dhyāna, īśvara-bhakti, or Pāśupata discipline) are considered unstable.
Not explicitly; it reflects the shared dharmic foundation emphasized across Shaiva-Vaishnava teaching streams in the Kurma Purana: moral restraint and protection of life are prerequisites for devotion and liberation-oriented practice.