Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 20
Prāyaścitta for Theft, Forbidden Foods, Impurity, and Ritual Lapses; Tīrtha–Vrata Remedies; Pativratā Mahātmyam via Sītā and Agni
अलाबुं किंशुकं चैव भुक्त्वा चैतद् व्रतं चरेत् / उदुम्बरं च कामेन तप्तकृच्छ्रेण शुद्ध्यति
alābuṃ kiṃśukaṃ caiva bhuktvā caitad vrataṃ caret / udumbaraṃ ca kāmena taptakṛcchreṇa śuddhyati
食用葫芦（alābu）与金舒迦花（kiṃśuka，palāśa）之后，当奉行此誓戒。若因欲念而食优陀婆罗（udumbara，簇生无花果），则当修行名为“塔普塔克里恰”（Taptakṛcchra）的苦行以得清净。
Sūta (narrating Purāṇic dharma/prāyaścitta instructions to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
This verse does not directly define Ātman; it teaches the dharmic principle that purity (śuddhi) is restored through disciplined observance (vrata) and corrective austerity (prāyaścitta), which supports inner clarity needed for Self-knowledge.
It highlights preparatory discipline rather than a specific meditation: regulated diet, vow-keeping, and prāyaścitta (Taptakṛcchra) as tapas that steadies the mind—foundational for Yoga-sādhana in the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis.
Indirectly: the verse emphasizes dharma and purification as shared purāṇic foundations across Shaiva and Vaishnava streams; it fits the Kurma Purana’s integrative approach where ethical-tapas disciplines support devotion and higher realization beyond sectarian divide.