Shloka 16

Daily Duties of Brāhmaṇas: Snāna, Sandhyā, Sūrya-hṛdaya, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and the Pañca-mahāyajñas

Devanagari script

आत्मतीर्थमिति ख्यातं सेवितं ब्रह्मवादिभिः / मनः शुचिकरं पुंसां नित्यं तत् स्नानमाचरेत्

Transliteration

ātmatīrthamiti khyātaṃ sevitaṃ brahmavādibhiḥ / manaḥ śucikaraṃ puṃsāṃ nityaṃ tat snānamācaret

Translation

ই ‘আত্ম-তীৰ্থ’ বুলি খ্যাত, ব্ৰহ্মবাদীসকলে সেবা কৰা। ই মন শুচি কৰে; সেয়ে সেই অন্তঃস্নান নিত্য আচৰণ কৰা উচিত।

Word by Word

• आत्मतीर्थम्: the ‘self’ sacred bathing-place
• आत्मतीर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्म-तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; आत्मन् + तीर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: आत्मनः तीर्थम्)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्धरणसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-प्रयोगः (quotative particle)

• ख्यातम्: known, famed
• ख्यातम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘प्रसिद्धम्’

• सेवितम्: practised, resorted to
• सेवितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘सेवितम्/आचरितम्’

• ब्रह्मवादिभिः: by the expounders of Brahman
• ब्रह्मवादिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मवादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्रह्मणः वादी)

• मनः: the mind
• मनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• शुचिकरम्: purifying
• शुचिकरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि-कर (प्रातिपदिक; शुचि + कर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-भावः (शुचिं करोति इति)

• पुंसाम्: of men
• पुंसाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुम्स्/पुंस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-Visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• आचरेत्: should practise/perform
• आचरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing King Indradyumna (didactic discourse on dharma and inner purification)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Atma-tirtha
• Brahmavadins

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling the Self an ‘ātma-tīrtha,’ the verse presents Atman as the highest sacred refuge: true sanctity is accessed inwardly through Self-oriented purification rather than merely external travel.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes nitya-abhyāsa (daily practice) of inner ‘snāna’—mental cleansing through discipline, contemplation, and inner purity (antahkaraṇa-śuddhi), a foundational prerequisite for Yoga and liberating knowledge.

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

Though Vishnu speaks as Kūrma, the focus on Brahman-knowers and inner purification aligns with the Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis: the highest tīrtha is realization of the one Supreme (Brahman/Ishvara) beyond sectarian division.