Kurma Purana · Chapter 1.2

iti śrīkūrmapurāṇe ṣaṭsāhastryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ pūrvavibhāge prathamo 'dhyāyaḥ
śrīkūrma uvāca
śṛṇudhvamṛṣayaḥ sarve yatpṛṣṭo 'haṃ jagaddhitam /
vakṣyamāṇaṃ mayā sarvamindradyumnāya bhāṣitam

bhūtairbhavyairbhaviṣyadbhiścaritairupabṛṃhitam /
purāṇaṃ puṇyadaṃ nṛṇāṃ mokṣadharmānukīrtanam

ahaṃ nārāyaṇo devaḥ pūrvamāsaṃ na me param /
upāsya vipulāṃ nidrāṃ bhogiśayyāṃ samāśritaḥ

cintayāmi punaḥ sṛṣṭiṃ niśānte pratibudhya tu /
tato me sahasotpannaḥ prasādo munipuṅgavā

caturmukhastato jāto brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ /
tadantare 'bhavat krodhaḥ kasmāccit kāraṇāt tadā

ātmano muniśārdūlāstatra devo maheśvaraḥ /
rudraḥ krodhātmajo jajñe śūlapāṇistrilocanaḥ /
tejasā sūryasaṃkāśastrailokyaṃ saṃharanniva

tataḥ śrīrabhavad devi kamalāyatalocanā /
surūpā saumyavadanā mohinī sarvadehinām

śucismitā suprasannā maṅgalā mahimāspadā /
divyakāntisamāyuktā divyamālyopaśobhitā

nārāyaṇī mahāmāyā mūlaprakṛtiravyayā /
svadhāmnā pūrayantīdaṃ matpārśvaṃ samupāviśat

tāṃ dṛṣṭavā bhagavān brahmā māmuvāca jagatpatiḥ /
mohāyāśeṣabhūtānāṃ niyojaya surūpiṇīm /
yeneyaṃ vipulā sṛṣṭirvardhate mama mādhava

tathokto 'haṃ śriyaṃ devīmabruvaṃ prahasanniva /
devīdamakhilaṃ viśvaṃ sadevāsuramānuṣam /
mohayitvā mamādeśāt saṃsāre vinipātaya

jñānayogaratān dāntān brahmiṣṭhān brahmavādinaḥ /
akrodhanān satyaparān dūrataḥ parivarjaya

dhyāyino nirmamān śāntān dhārmikān vedapāragān /
jāpinastāpasān viprān dūrataḥ parivarjaya

vedavedāntavijñānasaṃchinnāśeṣasaṃśayān /
mahāyajñaparān viprān dūrataḥ parivarjaya

ye yajanti japairhemairdevadevaṃ maheśvaram /
svādhyāyenejyayā dūrāt tān prayatnena varjaya

bhaktiyogasamāyuktānīśvarārpitamānasān /
prāṇāyāmādiṣu ratān dūrāt pariharāmalān

praṇavāsaktamanaso rudrajapyaparāyaṇān /
atharvaśiraso 'dhyetṛn dharmajñān parivarjaya

bahunātra kimuktena svadharmaparipālakān /
īśvarārādhanaratān manniyogānna mohaya

evaṃ mayā mahāmāyā preritā harivallabhā /
yathādeśaṃ cakārāsau tasmāllakṣmīṃ samarcayet

śriyaṃ dadāti vipulāṃ puṣṭiṃ medhāṃ yaśo balam /
arcitā bhagavatpatnī tasmāllakṣmīṃ samarcayet

tato 'sṛjat sa bhagavān brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ /
carācarāṇi bhūtāni yathāpūrvaṃ mamājñayā

parīcibhṛgvaṅgirasaḥ pulastyaṃ pulahaṃ kratum /
dakṣamatriṃ vasiṣṭhaṃ ca so 'sṛjad yogavidyayā

navaite brahmaṇaḥ putrā brahmāṇo brāhmaṇottamāḥ /
brahmavādina evaite marīcyādyāstu sādhakāḥ

sasarja brāhmaṇān vaktrāt kṣatriyāṃśca bhujād vibhuḥ /
vaiśyānūrudvayād devaḥ pādārchūdrān pitāmahaḥ

yajñaniṣpattaye brahmā śūdravarjaṃ sasarja ha /
guptaye sarvavedānāṃ tebhyo yajño hi nirbabhau

ṛco yajūṃṣi sāmāni tathaivātharvaṇāni ca /
brahmaṇaḥ sahajaṃ rūpaṃ nityaiṣā śaktiravyayā

anādinidhanā divyā vāgutsṛṣṭā svayaṃbhuvā /
ādau vedamayī bhūtā yataḥ sarvāḥ pravṛttayaḥ

ato 'nyānitu śāstrāṇipṛthivyāṃyānikānicit /
na teṣu ramate dhīraḥ pāṣaṇḍī tena jāyate

vedārthavittamaiḥ kāryaṃ yatsmṛtaṃ munibhiḥ purā /
sa jñeyaḥ paramo dharmo nānyaśāstreṣu saṃsthitaḥ

yā vedabāhyāḥ smṛtayo yāśca kāśca kudṛṣṭayaḥ /
sarvāstā niṣphalāḥ pretyatamoniṣṭhāhitāḥ smṛtāḥ

pūrvakalpe prajā jātāḥ sarvabādāvivarjitāḥ /
śuddhāntaḥ karaṇāḥ sarvāḥ svadharmaniratāḥ sadā

tataḥ kālavaśāt tāsāṃ rāgadveṣādiko 'bhavat /
adharmo muniśārdūlāḥ svadharmapratibandhakaḥ

tataḥ sā sahajā siddhistāsāṃ nātīva jāyate /
rajomātrātmikāstāsāṃ siddhayo 'nyāstadābhavan

tāsu kṣīṇāsvaśeṣāsu kālayogena tāḥ punaḥ /
vārtopāyaṃ punaścakrurhastasiddhiṃ ca karmajām /
tatastāsāṃ vibhurbrahmā karmājīvamakalpayat

svāyaṃbhuvo manuḥ pūrvaṃ dharmān provāca dharmadṛk /
sākṣāt prajāpatermūrtirnisṛṣṭā brahmaṇā dvijāḥ /
bhṛgvādayastadvadanācchrutvā dharmānathocire

yajanaṃ yājanaṃ dānaṃ brāhmaṇasya pratigraham /
adhyāpanaṃ cādhyayanaṃ ṣaṭ karmāṇi dvijottamāḥ

dānamadhyayanaṃ yajño dharmaḥ kṣatriyavaiśyayoḥ /
daṇḍo yuddhaṃ kṣatriyasya kṛṣirvaiśyasya śasyate

śuśrūṣaiva dvijātīnāṃ śūdrāṇāṃ dharmasādhanam /
kārukarma tathājīvaḥ pākayajño 'pi dharmataḥ

tataḥ sthiteṣu varṇeṣu sthāpayāmāsa cāśramān /
gṛhasthaṃ ca vanasthaṃ ca bhikṣukaṃ brahmacāriṇam

agnayo 'tithiśuśrūṣā yajño dānaṃ surārcanam /
gṛhasthasya samāsena dharmo 'yaṃ munipuṅgavāḥ

homo mūlaphalāśitvaṃ svādhyāyastapa eva ca /
saṃvibhāgo yathānyāyaṃ dharmo 'yaṃ vanavāsinām

bhaikṣāśanaṃ ca maunitvaṃ tapo dhyānaṃ viśeṣataḥ /
samyagjñānaṃ ca vairāgyaṃ dharmo 'yaṃ bhikṣuke mataḥ

bhikṣācaryā ca śuśrūṣā guroḥ svādhyāya eva ca /
sandhyākarmāgnikāryaṃ ca dharmo 'yaṃ brahmacāriṇām

brahmacārivanasthānāṃ bhikṣukāṇāṃ dvijottamāḥ /
sādhāraṇaṃ brahmacaryaṃ provāca kamalodbhavaḥ

ṛtukālābhigāmitvaṃ svadāreṣu na cānyataḥ /
parvavarjaṃ gṛhasthasya brahmacaryamudāhṛtam

āgarbhasaṃbhavādādyāt kāryaṃ tenāpramādataḥ /
akurvāṇastu viprendrā bhrūṇahā tu prajāyate

vedābhyāso 'nvahaṃ śaktyā śrāddhaṃ cātithipūjanam /
gṛhasthasya paro dharmo devatābhyarcanaṃ tathā

vaivāhmamagnimindhīta sāyaṃ prātaryathāvidhi /
deśāntaragato vātha mṛtapatnīka eva vā

trayāṇāmāśramāṇāṃ tu gṛhastho yonirucyate /
anye tamupajīvanti tasmācchreyān gṛhāśramī

aikāśramyaṃ gṛhasthasya trayāṇāṃ śrutidarśanāt /
tasmād gārhasthyamevaikaṃ vijñeyaṃ dharmasādhanam

parityajedarthakāmau yau syātāṃ dharmavarjitau /
sarvalokaviruddhaṃ ca dharmamapyācarenna tu

dharmāt saṃjāyate hyartho dharmāt kāmo 'bhijāyate /
dharma evāpavargāya tasmād dharmaṃ samāśrayet

dharmaścārthaśca kāmaśca trivargastriguṇo mataḥ /
sattvaṃ rajastamaśceti tasmāddharmaṃ samāśrayet

ūrdhvaṃ gacchanti sattvasthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ /
jaghanyaguṇavṛttisthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ

yasmin dharmasamāyuktāvarthakāmau vyavasthitau /
iha loke sukhī bhūtvā pretyānantyāya kalpate

dharmāt saṃjāyate mokṣo hyarthāt kāmo 'bhijāyate /
evaṃ sādhanasādhyatvaṃ cāturvidhye pradarśitam

ya evaṃ veda dharmārthakāmamokṣasya mānavaḥ /
māhātmyaṃ cānutiṣṭheta sa cānantyāya kalpate

tasmādarthaṃ ca kāmaṃ ca tyaktvā dharmaṃ samāśrayet /
dharmāt saṃjāyate sarvamityāhurbrahmavādinaḥ

dharmeṇa dhāryate sarvaṃ jagat sthāvarajaṅgamam /
anādinidhanā śaktiḥ saiṣā brāhmī dvijottamāḥ

karmaṇā prāpyate dharmo jñānena ca na saṃśayaḥ /
tasmājjñānena sahitaṃ karmayogaṃ samācaret

pravṛttaṃ ca nivṛttaṃ ca dvividhaṃ karma vaidikam /
jñānapūrvaṃ nivṛttaṃ syāt pravṛttaṃ yadato 'nyathā

nivṛttaṃ sevamānastu yāti tat paramaṃ padam /
tasmānnivṛttaṃ saṃsevyamanyathā saṃsaret punaḥ

kṣamā damo dayā dānamalobhastyāga eva ca /
ārjavaṃ cānasūyā ca tīrthānusaraṇaṃ tathā

satyaṃ santoṣa āstikyaṃ śraddhā cendriyanigrahaḥ /
devatābhyarcanaṃ pūjā brāhmaṇānāṃ viśeṣataḥ

āhiṃsā priyavāditvamapaiśunyamakalkatā /
sāmāsikamimaṃ dharmaṃ cāturvarṇye 'bravīnmanuḥ

prājāpatyaṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ smṛtaṃ sthānaṃ kriyāvatām /
sthānamaindraṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ saṃgrāmeṣvapalāyinām

vaiśyānāṃ mārutaṃ sthānaṃ svadharmamanuvartatām /
gāndharvaṃ śūdrajātīnāṃ paricāreṇa vartatām

aṣṭāśītisahastrāṇāmṛṣīṇāmūrdhvaretasām /
smṛtaṃ teṣāṃ tu yatsthānaṃ tadeva guruvāsinām

saptarṣoṇāṃ tu yatsthānaṃ smṛtaṃ tad vai vanaukasām /
prājāpatyaṃ gṛhasthānāṃ sthānamuktaṃ svayaṃbhuvā

yatīnāṃ yatacittānāṃ nyāsināmūrdhvaretasām /
hairaṇyagarbhaṃ tat sthānaṃ yasmānnāvartate punaḥ

yogināmamṛtaṃ sthānaṃ vyomākhyaṃ paramākṣaram /
ānandamaiśvaraṃ dhāma sā kāṣṭhā sā parāgatiḥ

ṛṣaca ūcuḥ
bhagavan devatārighna hiraṇyākṣaniṣūdana /
catvāro hyāśramāḥ proktā yogināmeka ucyate

śrīkūrma ūvāca
sarvakarmāṇi saṃnyasya samādhimacalaṃ śritaḥ /
ya āste niścalo yogī sa saṃnyāsī na pañcamaḥ

sarveṣāmāśramāṇāṃ tu dvaividhyaṃ śrutadarśitam /
brahmacāryupakurvāṇo naiṣṭhiko brahmatatparaḥ

yo 'dhītyavidhivadvedān gṛhasthāśramamāvrajet /
upakurvāṇako jñeyo naiṣṭhiko maraṇāntikaḥ

udāsīnaḥ sādhakaśca gṛhastho dvividho bhavet /
kuṭumbabharaṇe yattaḥ sādhako 'sau gṛhī bhavet

ṛṇānitrīṇyapākṛtyatyaktvā bhāryādhanādikam /
ekākī yastu vicaredudāsīnaḥ sa maukṣikaḥ

tapastapyati yo 'raṇye yajed devān juhoti ca /
svādhyāye caiva nirato vanasthastāpaso mataḥ

tapasā karṣito 'tyarthaṃ yastu dhyānaparo bhavet /
sāṃnyāsikaḥ sa vijñeyo vānaprasthāśrame sthitaḥ

yogābhyāsarato nityamārurukṣurjitendriyaḥ /
jñānāya vartate bhikṣuḥ procyate pārameṣṭhikaḥ

yastvātmaratireva syānnityatṛpto mahāmuniḥ /
samyag darśanasaṃpannaḥ sa yogī bhikṣurucyate

jñānasaṃnyāsinaḥ kecid vedasaṃnyāsino 'pare /
karmasanyāsinaḥ kecit trividhāḥ parāmeṣṭhikāḥ

yogī ca trividho jñeyo bhautikaḥ sāṃkhya eva ca /
tṛtīyotyāśramī proktī yogamuttamamāsthitaḥ

prathamā bhāvanā pūrve sāṃkhye tvakṣarabhāvanā /
tṛtīye cāntimā proktā bhāvanā pārameśvarī

tasmādetad vijānīdhvamāśramāṇāṃ catuṣṭayam /
sarveṣu vedaśāstreṣu pañcamo nopapadyate

evaṃ varṇāśramān sṛṣṭvā devadevo nirañjanaḥ /
dakṣādīn prāha viśvātmā sṛjadhvaṃ vividhāḥ prajāḥ

brahmaṇo vacanāt putrā dakṣādyā munisattamāḥ /
asṛjanta prajāḥ sarvā devamānuṣapūrvikāḥ

ityeṣa bhagavān brahmā straṣṭvatve sa vyavasthitaḥ /
ahaṃ vai pālayāmīdaṃ saṃhariṣyati śūlabhṛt

tistrastu mūrtayaḥ proktā brahmaviṣṇumaheśvarāḥ /
rajaḥ sattvatamoyogāt parasya paramātmanaḥ

anoyanyamanuraktāste hyanyonyamupajīvinaḥ /
anyonyaṃ praṇatāścaiva līlayā parameśvarāḥ

brāhmī māheśvarī caiva tathaivākṣarabhāvanā /
tistrastu bhāvanā rudre vartante satataṃ dvijāḥ

pravartate mayyajastramādyā cākṣarabhāvanā /
dvitīyā brahmaṇaḥ proktā devasyākṣarabhāvanā

ahaṃ caiva mahādevo na bhinnau paramārthataḥ /
vibhajyasvecchayātmānaṃ so 'nyaryāmīśvaraḥ sthitaḥ

trailokyamakhilaṃ straṣṭuṃ sadevāsuramānuṣam /
puruṣaḥ parato 'vyaktād brahmatvaṃ samupāgamat

tasmād brahmā mahādevo viṣṇurviśveśvaraḥ paraḥ /
ekasyaiva smṛtāstistrastanūḥ kāryavaśāt prabhoḥ

tasmāt sarvaprayatnena vandyāḥ pūjyāḥ prayatnataḥ /
yadīcchedacirāt sthānaṃ yattanmokṣākhyamavyayam

varṇāśramaprayuktena dharmeṇa prītisaṃyutaḥ /
pūjayed bhāvayuktena yāvajjīvaṃ pratijñayā

caturṇāmāśramāṇāṃ tu prokto 'yaṃ vidhivaddvijāḥ /
āśramo vaiṣṇavo brāhmo harāśrama iti trayaḥ

talliṅgadhārī satataṃ tadbhaktajanavatsalaḥ /
dhyāyedathārcayedetān brahmavidyāparāyaṇaḥ

sarveṣāmeva bhaktānāṃ śaṃbhorliṅgamanuttamam /
sitena bhasmanā kāryaṃ lalāṭe tu tripuṇḍrakam

yastu nārāyaṇaṃ devaṃ prapannaḥ paramaṃ padam /
dhārayet sarvadā śūlaṃ lalāṭe gandhavāribhiḥ

prapannā ye jagadbījaṃ brahmāṇaṃ parameṣṭhinam /
teṣāṃ lalāṭe tilakaṃ dhāraṇīyaṃ tu sarvadā

yo 'sāvanādirbhūtādiḥ kālātmāsau dhṛto bhavet /
uparyadho bhāvayogāt tripuṇḍrasya tu dhāraṇāt

yattat pradhānaṃ triguṇaṃ brahmaviṣṇuśivātmakam /
dhṛtaṃ triśūladharaṇād bhavatyeva na saṃśayaḥ

brahmatejomayaṃ śuklaṃ yadetan maṇḍalaṃ raveḥ /
bhavatyeva dhṛtaṃ sthānamaiśvaraṃ tilake kṛte

tasmāt kāryaṃ triśūlāṅkaṃ tathā ca tilakaṃ śubham /
triyāyuṣaṃ ca bhaktānāṃ trayāṇāṃ vidhipūrvakam

yajeta juhuyādagnau japed dadyājjitendriyaḥ /
śānto dānto jitakrodho varṇāśramavidhānavit

evaṃ paricared devān yāvajjīvaṃ samāhitaḥ /
teṣāṃ saṃsthānamacalaṃ so 'cirādadhigacchati