Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 14

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

Devanagari script

गवां हि रजसा प्रोक्तं वायव्यं स्नानमुत्तमम् / यत्तु सातपवर्षेण स्नानं तद् दिव्यमुच्यते

Transliteration

gavāṃ hi rajasā proktaṃ vāyavyaṃ snānamuttamam / yattu sātapavarṣeṇa snānaṃ tad divyamucyate

Translation

La poussière soulevée par les vaches est déclarée être le plus excellent bain ‘Vāyavya’. Quant au bain par le soleil et la pluie—s’exposer au rayonnement solaire et à l’averse—il est appelé le bain ‘Divin’.

Word by Word

• गवाम्: of cows
• गवाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (गो), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• हि: indeed / for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थक निपात

• रजसा: with dust
• रजसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण

• प्रोक्तम्: is said / is declared
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+√वच् → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; कर्मणि ‘is said’

• वायव्यम्: the Vāyu-type (bath)
• वायव्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विषय

• स्नानम्: bath
• स्नानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वायव्यम् इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन/विधेय

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; स्नानम् इति विशेषणम्

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• तु: but / indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेष/विरोधार्थक

• स-आतप-वर्षेण: with sun-heat and rain
• स-आतप-वर्षेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (सह) + आतप (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व: आतप+वर्ष), तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘स’ = सहित; करण

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृ/विषय (of ‘ucyate’)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तद्-शब्दः, ‘that’ (correlative to यत्)

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; स्नानम् इति विशेषणम्

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive)

Speaker

Traditional narration (Purāṇic discourse) describing dharma of purification; commonly framed as instruction given within the Kurma Purana’s dialogue setting.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vayu
• Gau (cow)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly, it teaches that external purity (snāna) supports inner purification; in the Kurma Purana’s dharma-yoga framework, such disciplines steady the mind so Self-knowledge can arise without obstruction.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights preparatory discipline (śauca) rather than a posture or mantra: simple, accessible modes of purification—dust-bath (vāyavya) and sun-rain bath (divya)—as supports for vrata, japa, and contemplative practice emphasized across the text’s yoga-dharma teaching.

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

By focusing on shared dharma (purity, restraint, and yogic readiness) rather than sectarian markers, it reflects the Purana’s integrative approach where Shaiva-Pashupata and Vaishnava devotion converge through common disciplines of purification.