Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 12
Daily Duties of Brāhmaṇas: Snāna, Sandhyā, Sūrya-hṛdaya, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and the Pañca-mahāyajñas
ब्राह्ममाग्नेयमुद्दिष्टं वायव्यं दिव्यमेव च / वारुणं यौगिकं तद्वत् षोढा स्नानं प्रकीर्तितम्
brāhmamāgneyamuddiṣṭaṃ vāyavyaṃ divyameva ca / vāruṇaṃ yaugikaṃ tadvat ṣoḍhā snānaṃ prakīrtitam
பிராஹ்ம ஸ்நானமும் ஆக்நேய ஸ்நானமும் போதிக்கப்பட்டன; அதுபோல வாயவ்ய, திவ்ய, வாருண, யோகிக—இவ்வாறு ஸ்நானம் ஆறு வகை எனப் புகழப்படுகிறது।
Traditional narration in the Kurma Purana (instructional passage attributed to the Purana’s teaching voice, commonly framed within the Kurma-to-sages discourse)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
By including a distinct “yogic bath” alongside elemental and ritual baths, the verse implies that true purification is not only external but also inward—pointing toward self-discipline and inner clarity as essential for realizing the Self beyond bodily impurity.
The verse explicitly names “yaugika snāna,” indicating purification through yogic means—such as restraint, breath-regulation, mantra-recitation, and inner concentration—where the mind’s impurities are washed away through practice rather than water alone.
While no deity-name of Shiva or Vishnu appears directly, the framework aligns with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: ritual purity (often emphasized in Vedic-Vaishnava contexts) is placed on par with yogic inner purification (central to Shaiva-Pashupata discipline), suggesting a complementary, non-contradictory path.