Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 2
Prayāga-māhātmya — The Greatness of Prayāga and the Discipline of Pilgrimage
यानि तीर्थानि तत्रैव विश्रुतानि महान्ति वै / इदानीं कथयास्माकं सूत सर्वार्थविद् भवान्
yāni tīrthāni tatraiva viśrutāni mahānti vai / idānīṃ kathayāsmākaṃ sūta sarvārthavid bhavān
ஓ சூதரே! நீங்கள் அனைத்தின் பொருளையும் அறிந்தவர்; அங்கே புகழ்பெற்ற மகத்தான தீர்த்தங்கள் எவை உள்ளனவோ, அவற்றை இப்போது எங்களுக்கு விளக்குங்கள்.
Sages (Rishis) addressing Suta
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
This verse does not directly define Ātman; it frames a traditional Purāṇic inquiry where sacred tīrthas are sought as supports for purification and right understanding that later culminate in spiritual knowledge.
No specific yoga technique is stated here; the verse introduces tīrtha-kathā (teaching on pilgrimage sites), which in the Kurma Purana functions as a preparatory discipline—purifying conduct and intent—supportive of later yoga and dharma instructions.
This verse itself is neutral and narrative; by requesting tīrtha-teachings from Sūta, it participates in the Kurma Purana’s broader integrative framework where tīrthas and dharma are shared sacred ground across Shaiva-Vaishnava traditions.