Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5
Prayāga-māhātmya and Ṛṇa-pramocana-tīrtha — Māgha-snāna, Austerities, and Release from Debts
ततः स्वर्गात् परिभ्रष्टो जम्बूद्वीपपतिर्भवेत् / स भुक्त्वा विपुलान् भोगांस्तत् तीर्थं भजते पुनः
tataḥ svargāt paribhraṣṭo jambūdvīpapatirbhavet / sa bhuktvā vipulān bhogāṃstat tīrthaṃ bhajate punaḥ
ครั้นแล้วเมื่อเสื่อมจากสวรรค์ เขาย่อมได้เป็นพระราชาผู้ครองชมพูทวีป ครั้นเสวยสุขอันไพบูลย์แล้ว ก็กลับไปพึ่งพาตีรถะนั้นอีกครั้งหนึ่ง।
Sūta (narrator) conveying the Kurma Purana’s tirtha-mahātmya teaching to the sages
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
Indirectly: it contrasts temporary heavenly reward and worldly sovereignty with the recurring impulse toward tīrtha-sevana, implying that lasting fulfillment is not in bhoga (enjoyment) but in dharmic, purifying pursuit that supports Self-knowledge.
The verse emphasizes tīrtha-sevana (pilgrimage and sacred observance) as a purificatory discipline; in Kurma Purana’s broader yoga-ethic, such purification supports steadiness of mind (citta-śuddhi) and readiness for higher practices like japa, vrata, and contemplation aligned with Pāśupata-oriented devotion.
While not naming them, the teaching fits the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: merit leads to svarga and kingship, yet the seeker returns to sanctifying dharma—tīrthas commonly associated with both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava worship—pointing to a shared path of purification beyond sectarian boundaries.