Shloka 29
Vānaprastha-Dharma: Forest Discipline, Vaikhānasa Austerities, and Śiva-Āśrama as the Liberative Refuge
उपस्पृश्य त्रिषवणं पितृदेवांश्च तर्पयेत् / एकपादेन तिष्ठेत मरीचीन् वा पिबेत् तदा
upaspṛśya triṣavaṇaṃ pitṛdevāṃśca tarpayet / ekapādena tiṣṭheta marīcīn vā pibet tadā
Nachdem er ācamana vollzogen und den dreimal täglichen Ritus (trisavana) zu den drei sandhyās ausgeführt hat, soll er den Vätern (pitṛs) und den Göttern tarpana darbringen. Dann kann er als Übung auf einem Bein stehen oder sogar zu jener Zeit die Sonnenstrahlen (marīci) gleichsam «trinken» als Gelübde der Zügelung.
Kurma (Vishnu) instructing sages/seekers on dharma and observances (narrative instruction style of the Kurma Purana)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
Indirectly: it teaches that inner steadiness is supported by outer purification and disciplined vows; such niyama-like practices prepare the mind for realizing the Atman beyond ritual, as emphasized in the Kurma Purana’s yoga-oriented teachings.
It highlights preparatory disciplines (tapas/niyama): tri-sandhyā observance, tarpaṇa to pitṛs and devas, and bodily restraint such as standing on one leg; “drinking the rays” indicates a vow of austerity and prāṇa-control-like restraint rather than literal indulgence.
By presenting dharma and tapas as universal preparatory means for liberation, the verse fits the Kurma Purana’s synthetic approach where Vishnu (as Kurma) teaches practices also valued in Shaiva/Pāśupata milieus—ritual purity and austerity as shared foundations for higher realization.