Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 19
Adhyaya 165 — नानाधर्माः
Various Dharmas
पूर्वं स्त्रियः सुरैर् भुक्ताः सोमगन्धर्ववह्निभिः भुञ्जते मानुषाः पश्चान्नैता दुष्यन्ति केनचित्
pūrvaṃ striyaḥ surair bhuktāḥ somagandharvavahnibhiḥ bhuñjate mānuṣāḥ paścānnaitā duṣyanti kenacit
فيما مضى كانت النساء تُستمتع بهنّ الآلهة—سُوما، والغاندهرفا، وأغني؛ ثم بعد ذلك يستمتع بهنّ الرجال. وبهذا لا تُعدّ الواحدة منهنّ مُدنَّسةً من أحدٍ البتّة.
Lord Agni (Agni Purāṇa’s primary narrator) speaking to sage Vasiṣṭha
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Norm-setting discourse about sexual conduct and perceived purity/impurity; used historically to justify social attitudes—requires careful ethical contextualization and rejection of harm.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Mythic Justification of Strī-śuddhi in Loka-vyavahāra","lookup_keywords":["stri-dharma","shuddhi","Soma","Gandharva","Agni"],"quick_summary":"Presents a mythic claim that prior divine ‘enjoyment’ renders women not defiled by later human relations; a normative-social assertion rather than a medical or yogic teaching."}
Concept: Appeal to mythic precedent to define social purity norms; illustrates how loka-vyavahāra arguments are constructed via divine exemplars.
Application: As a study-layer: distinguish descriptive myth from prescriptive ethics; in practice, prioritize ahiṃsā, consent, and non-discrimination when interpreting dharma passages.
Khanda Section: Nīti-Śāstra / Strī-dharma & Loka-vyavahāra (Social conduct and normative discourse)
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A symbolic tableau: Soma, a Gandharva, and Agni represented as divine figures in the background, with a human social scene in the foreground—illustrating a contested normative claim about purity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: three deities—Soma with moon emblem, Gandharva as celestial musician, Agni with flames—painted in traditional icon colors; foreground shows a human couple in restrained, non-explicit depiction; emphasis on allegory and text-banner style.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: divine triad icons (Soma, Gandharva, Agni) with gold halos; foreground a modest household scene; ornate framing, but keep the narrative symbolic and decorous.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: didactic panel with labeled figures (Soma, Gandharva, Agni) and a separate human vignette; soft colors, clarity over drama, non-explicit representation.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: courtly allegory with celestial musicians (Gandharvas), a moon-faced Soma figure, and a flame motif for Agni; foreground social interaction rendered discreetly; fine detailing and marginal calligraphy."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: surair = suraiḥ (visarga sandhi); paścānnaitā = paścāt + na + etāḥ; kenacit = kena + cit.
Related Themes: Agni Purana nīti-śāstra and ācāra sections; Agni Purana prāyaścitta discussions that treat śuddhi/āśuddhi
FAQs
It conveys a nīti/dharma claim about ritual-social purity: that a woman is not considered inherently “defiled” (duṣyati) merely due to prior contact, grounding the assertion in mythic precedent (Devas/Soma/Gandharvas/Agni).
Beyond ritual and theology, the Agni Purāṇa also compiles loka-vyavahāra and normative ethics (nīti)—including contested social doctrines on purity, sexuality, and blame—showing its wide scope as a compendium of practical and ideological guidance.
The verse attempts to remove (or limit) the attribution of “taint” to women in social-ritual judgment, implying that purity/impurity is not automatically produced by mere association, and that moral evaluation should not be based on blanket stigma.