Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 4
Srāvādya-śauca
Impurity due to bodily discharge and allied causes
न स्नानं हि सपिण्डे स्यात्त्रिरात्रं सप्तमाष्टयोः सद्यः शौचं सपिण्डानामादन्तजननात्तथा
na snānaṃ hi sapiṇḍe syāttrirātraṃ saptamāṣṭayoḥ sadyaḥ śaucaṃ sapiṇḍānāmādantajananāttathā
بالنسبة للسَّپِنْدَة (sapiṇḍa) أي القريب ضمن رابطة قرابين الـpiṇḍa، لا يُفعل الاغتسال ثلاثة ليالٍ؛ لكن في اليومين السابع والثامن يجوز. وللسَّپِنْدَة تكون الطهارة فورية أيضًا في الحالات من ولادة الطفل إلى بزوغ الأسنان.
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Guides bathing restrictions and timing for sapiṇḍa relatives during āśauca, and clarifies cases of immediate śauca in early childhood milestones (birth to teething).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Sapiṇḍa-āśauca: snāna-niṣedha (3 nights) and sadyaḥ-śauca (birth–dantodgama)","lookup_keywords":["sapiṇḍa","snāna-niṣedha","trirātra","sadyaḥ-śauca","dantodgama"],"quick_summary":"For close kin, bathing is restricted for three nights with allowance around the 7th–8th day; in certain early-childhood events (birth to teething), purification is immediate."}
Concept: Purity rules are kinship-sensitive (sapiṇḍa) and event-sensitive, balancing restraint (snāna-niṣedha) with pragmatic immediacy in early-life contexts.
Application: In family bereavement, enforce the three-night bathing restraint for sapiṇḍas; treat certain infant-related events as not generating extended impurity, enabling continuity of essential rites.
Khanda Section: Dharma-vidhi (Ashauca–Shauca: rules of impurity and purification)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Close kin (sapiṇḍas) in a mourning household refrain from bathing for three nights; a later scene shows permitted bathing on the 7th/8th day; a parallel vignette shows a newborn/teething child with immediate śauca indicated.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, two-panel narrative: left panel kin seated with restrained austerity, no bathing implements; right panel on 7th/8th day a bathing scene with brass vessels; include a small vignette of infant teething signifying sadyaḥ-śauca.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style diptych with gold borders: panel of mourning restraint (no snāna), panel of permitted snāna on later day; symbolic lotus motifs for purity restoration.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style instructional illustration: calendar-like day markers (3 nights, 7th, 8th) beside figures; infant cradle vignette labeled birth-to-teeth for immediate purification.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature with marginal annotations: family group in subdued colors for first three nights, then brightened palette for 7th/8th day bathing; small infant scene with nurse showing teething."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्यात्त्रिरात्रं → स्यात् + त्रिरात्रम्; सप्तमाष्टयोः → सप्तम + अष्टयोः (द्वन्द्व); सपिण्डानामादन्तजननात्तथा → सपिण्डानाम् + आदन्तजननात् + तथा.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 158 (definitions of sapiṇḍa and śauca gradations); Agni Purana śrāddha/antyeṣṭi-related passages
FAQs
It gives āśauca–śauca procedure: for close kin (sapiṇḍas) bathing is restricted for a three-night period, while certain timings (7th/8th day) and infant-related situations (birth up to teething) entail immediate purification.
Alongside theology and worship, the Agni Purana preserves practical dharma-śāstra style regulations—family-based purity law, time-counting of impurity, and exceptions—showing its coverage of social-ritual governance.
Observing prescribed impurity and purification protects the integrity of rites (especially śrāddha and domestic rituals) and is treated as a dharmic discipline that maintains ritual order and reduces doṣa from improper observance.