Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14
Genealogies of Kaśyapa and Pulastya; Rise of Brahmavādin Lines and Rākṣasa Branches
त्रिशिरा दूषणश्चैव विद्युज्जिह्वो महाबलः / इत्येते क्रूरकर्माणः पौलस्त्या राक्षसा दश / सर्वे तपोबलोत्कृष्टा रुद्रभक्ताः सुभीषणाः
triśirā dūṣaṇaścaiva vidyujjihvo mahābalaḥ / ityete krūrakarmāṇaḥ paulastyā rākṣasā daśa / sarve tapobalotkṛṣṭā rudrabhaktāḥ subhīṣaṇāḥ
Тришира, Душана и Видьюджджихва великой силы — таковы были десять ракшасов рода Паулистья, жестоких в деяниях; все они возвысились силой подвижничества, были преданны Рудре и внушали великий ужас.
Suta (narrator) describing the lineage and qualities of the Paulastya rākṣasas within the Purva-bhaga narrative frame
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
FAQs
This verse is primarily descriptive (naming fierce Paulastya rākṣasas) and does not directly teach Ātman-doctrine; indirectly, it reflects the Purāṇic theme that even formidable beings gain extraordinary capacities through tapas and devotion, while ultimate liberation requires right knowledge and dharma beyond mere power.
No specific yogic technique is taught here; the practice implied is tapas (austerity/discipline) as a spiritual force, paired with rudra-bhakti (devotion to Śiva). In the broader Kurma Purana, tapas is meant to be guided by dharma and oriented toward inner purification rather than cruelty.
It shows Rudra as an object of devotion even for powerful non-human beings, supporting the Kurma Purana’s broader ecumenical tone where Śiva-bhakti is honored within a Vaiṣṇava-framed Purāṇa; the synthesis becomes explicit later in teachings that harmonize devotion and ultimate reality.