Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5
Kali-yuga Doṣas, the Supremacy of Rudra as Refuge, and the Closure of the Manvantara Teaching
नाधीयते कलौ वेदान् न यजन्ति द्विजातयः / यजन्त्यन्यायतो वेदान् पठन्ते चाल्पबुद्धयः
nādhīyate kalau vedān na yajanti dvijātayaḥ / yajantyanyāyato vedān paṭhante cālpabuddhayaḥ
Sa panahon ng Kali, hindi na pinag-aaralan nang wasto ang mga Veda, at ang mga dalawang-ulit-na-ipinanganak ay hindi nagsasagawa ng banal na yajña. Sa halip, ang may munting unawa ay bumibigkas ng Veda at gumagawa ng ritwal sa paraang di-matuwid, salungat sa tuntunin at kaugalian.
Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing (contextually) sages/Indradyumna on Kali Yuga dharma-decline
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
FAQs
Indirectly: it emphasizes that mere recitation or outer ritual, when done without right understanding and discipline, fails to uphold dharma—implying that true spiritual realization requires discernment (buddhi) and proper practice, not mechanical performance.
This verse does not teach a specific yoga technique; it critiques Kali Yuga’s loss of adhikāra and right method. In Kurma Purana’s broader frame, the corrective is disciplined sādhana—purity, right conduct, and inward devotion/knowledge—so practice becomes aligned with dharma rather than mere display.
Not explicitly in this line; the emphasis is on dharma and proper observance. Within the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis, such warnings are framed as the Lord’s guidance to restore righteous practice—whether expressed through Vaiṣṇava yajña ideals or Śaiva yogic discipline—toward the same supreme goal.