Uttara Bhaga Adhyaya 27 Shloka 23 - Kurma Purana | Thai | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 23

Vānaprastha-Dharma: Forest Discipline, Vaikhānasa Austerities, and Śiva-Āśrama as the Liberative Refuge

Devanagari script

दन्तोलूखलिको वास्यात् कापोतीं वृत्तिमाश्रयेत् / अश्मकुट्टो भवेद् वापि कालपक्वभुगेव वा

Transliteration

dantolūkhaliko vāsyāt kāpotīṃ vṛttimāśrayet / aśmakuṭṭo bhaved vāpi kālapakvabhugeva vā

Translation

เขาอาจดำรงชีพแบบ ‘ทันโตลูคฺขาลิกะ’ คือพออยู่ด้วยสิ่งที่ได้มาเพียงน้อยนิด หรือยึดอาชีพแบบ ‘กโปตี’ ดุจนกพิราบ; หรือเป็น ‘อัศมกุฏฺฏะ’ ตำด้วยหิน หรือกินเฉพาะสิ่งที่สุกงอมตามกาลเท่านั้น

Word by Word

दन्त-उलूखलिकःone who pounds (grain) with the teeth (i.e., without mortar)

वाor

स्यात्should be

कापोतीम्pigeon-like

वृत्तिम्mode of living

आश्रयेत्should adopt/resort to

अश्म-कुट्टःstone-pounder (one who grinds with a stone)

भवेत्should be

वाor

अपिalso

काल-पक्व-भुक्one who eats only what is ripened by time (naturally)

एवonly/indeed

वाor

Speaker

Narratorial/Instructional voice within the Kurma Purana’s dharma teaching (sage-to-king discourse context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

Kurma Purana

Varnashrama Dharma

Vṛtti (modes of livelihood)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Indirectly: by prescribing extreme simplicity and non-dependence, it supports the contemplative life in which the seeker turns from acquisition toward inner steadiness—conditions traditionally held to aid realization of the Self beyond wants and fear.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights the preparatory discipline (yama-niyama style) of restraint in food and livelihood—choosing minimal, non-greedy subsistence—supporting steadiness of mind for higher Yoga (including Shaiva-Pashupata oriented tapas and contemplation found elsewhere in the Kurma Purana).

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

Not by naming them directly, but by emphasizing shared dharmic foundations—renunciation, restraint, and tapas—common to both Shaiva and Vaishnava soteriology in the Kurma Purana’s synthetic tradition.