Bathing is as important as eating food. By taking bath people keep the body clean which further help on healthy living. One should involve bathing as everyday activity.
In one of the sanskrit teaching, ot was taught that in certain cases people must take bath else will be considered chandala. These are group of person who are considered untouchables. The lines goes by like :
तैलाभ्यङ्गे चिताधूमे मैथुने क्षौरकर्मणि|
तावद्भवति चाण्डालो यावत्स्नानं न चाचरेत्||
Tailaabhyange chitadhoome maithune kshaurakarmani.
Taavadbhavati chaandalo yaavatsnaanam na chaacharet.
Tailaabhangye = anointing the body by rubbing oil on it or massaging the body
Chitaadhoome = being exposed to the smoke rising from a funeral pyre.
Maithune = sexual intercourse, copulation.
Kshaurakarmani = shaving the head or the beard.
Taavat + bhavati = Taavadbhavati
Taavat = so long,
Bhavati = becomes.
Chaandalo = an outcaste, pariah.
Yaavat = until.
Snaanam = taking a bathing.
Na = not.
Cha + aacharet = chaacharet
Cha = and.
Acharet = performs, undertakes.
This aboves shlokas tells us that "After anointing and massaging the body with oil, on being exposed to the fumes and smoke of a funeral pyre, after doing sexual intercourse or masterbution, and after shaving the head or the beard i.e visiting a varber shop,so long a person is like a 'Chaandala' (pariah) until he undertakes a thorough bath."
I doubt that anybody follows these in present time. How many of us went to bath after visiting a barber shop? These are old saying and people do had a differrnt lifestyle and beliefs. I lersonally thing that there is no harm in bathing. Jut to make the body feel relax.
