Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 49
Prāyaścitta for Theft, Forbidden Foods, Impurity, and Ritual Lapses; Tīrtha–Vrata Remedies; Pativratā Mahātmyam via Sītā and Agni
पतिताद् द्रव्यमादाय तदुत्सर्गेण शुद्ध्यति / चरेत् सांतपनं कृच्छ्रमित्याह भगवान् प्रभुः
patitād dravyamādāya tadutsargeṇa śuddhyati / caret sāṃtapanaṃ kṛcchramityāha bhagavān prabhuḥ
Kung kumuha ng ari-arian mula sa isang patita (nalugmok o nahulog sa dharma), nagiging dalisay sa pamamagitan ng pagsuko o pagtalikod sa ari-ariang iyon. At dapat ding isagawa ang penitensiyang Sāntapana Kṛcchra—gaya ng ipinahayag ng Mapalad na Panginoon, ang Kataas-taasang Guro.
Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing sages on dharma and prāyaścitta
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
Indirectly: it frames purity as alignment with dharma under the Lord’s ordinance; ethical rectification (relinquishing tainted gain and performing penance) supports inner clarity needed for realizing the Self.
Not a meditation technique, but a yogic discipline of tapas and niyama: Sāntapana Kṛcchra is an austerity-based prāyaścitta that purifies conduct and mind, preparing one for higher sādhanā taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.
By presenting the Lord (Kurma/Vishnu) as the authoritative teacher of dharma and purification—functions equally affirmed in Śaiva traditions—this supports the Purana’s integrative stance where sectarian boundaries yield to a shared dharma-tapas framework.