Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 15

Yati-dharma

The Dharma of the Renunciate Ascetic

Devanagari script

अस्थिस्थूणं स्नायुयुतं मांसशोणितलेपनं चर्मावनद्धं दुर्गन्धं पूर्णं मूत्रपुरीषयोः

Transliteration

asthisthūṇaṃ snāyuyutaṃ māṃsaśoṇitalepanaṃ carmāvanaddhaṃ durgandhaṃ pūrṇaṃ mūtrapurīṣayoḥ

Translation

এই দেহ অস্থিৰ স্তম্ভ, স্নায়ুৰে বাঁধা, মাংস আৰু ৰক্তে লেপিত, চর্মে আৱৃত, দুৰ্গন্ধময় আৰু মূত্র-পুৰীষে পূৰ্ণ।

Word by Word

• अस्थि-स्थूणम्: a pillar of bones / bone-structured
• अस्थि-स्थूणम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थूण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; adjectival to implied ‘शरीरम्’

• स्नायु-युतम्: joined with sinews
• स्नायु-युतम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नायु (प्रातिपदिक) + युत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘endowed with sinews’

• मांस-शोणित-लेपनम्: coated with flesh and blood
• मांस-शोणित-लेपनम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक) + शोणित (प्रातिपदिक) + लेपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘smeared/coated with flesh and blood’

• चर्म-अवनद्धम्: wrapped in skin
• चर्म-अवनद्धम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + अवनद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘covered with skin’

• दुर्गन्धम्: foul-smelling
• दुर्गन्धम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पूर्णम्: full
• पूर्णम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √पॄ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘filled’

• मूत्र-पुरीषयोः: of urine and feces
• मूत्र-पुरीषयोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरीष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), षष्ठी (6th), द्विवचन; Genitive dual ‘of urine and feces’

Speaker

Lord Agni (teaching to sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue frame)

Vidya Category

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Body-impurity contemplation (aśubha-bhāvanā) to reduce attachment and support renunciation/ethical restraint.","sutra_style":true}

Encyclopedic Reference

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Deha-aśubhatā: Anatomical-impurity contemplation","lookup_keywords":["deha-nindā","aśubha-bhāvanā","asthi","snāyu","mūtra-purīṣa"],"quick_summary":"The body is analyzed as bones, sinews, flesh, blood, skin, foul odor, and excreta—an aid for dispassion and detachment."}

Kavya & Alamkara Layer

Alamkara Type: Rupaka (implicit) / Bhāva-pradhāna varṇana

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Deconstructing bodily beauty into constituents undermines rāga (attachment) and supports vairāgya.

Application: Use as a meditation: mentally enumerate bodily components to counter lust, vanity, and fear of loss.

Khanda Section

Khanda Section: Ayurveda / Deha-ninda (Contemplation on the body’s impurity for dispassion)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: Bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: Shanta

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A didactic visualization of the human body as layered components—bones as a pillar, sinews binding, flesh and blood coating, skin wrapping, with symbolic vessels of urine and feces—meant to evoke dispassion.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, symbolic anatomical layers shown as stylized cutaway (non-gory), yogi contemplating, earthy reds and ochres, emphasis on didactic purity theme, bībhatsa restrained by traditional decorum","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, central meditating renunciant with gold aura, surrounding circular vignettes: bone pillar, sinews, flesh-blood smear, skin wrap, vessels labeled by icon (not text), ornate but moralizing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional diagram-like composition, sequential layers of body depicted with fine lines, calm palette, renunciant pointing inward (antar-dṛṣṭi)","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, allegorical scene in a garden pavilion: scholar-ascetic contemplating a symbolic mannequin showing layers, meticulous detail, subdued realism without gore"}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: समासरूपाणि: अस्थिस्थूणम्, स्नायुयुतम्, मांसशोणितलेपनम्, चर्मावनद्धम्, मूत्रपुरीषयोः (द्वन्द्व).

Cross References

Related Themes: Agni Purana 161 (Vairāgya/śauca sequence)

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It imparts a contemplative ‘deha-ninda’ analysis—describing the body as a composite of bones, sinews, flesh, blood, skin, and wastes—used as a practical aid for detachment (vairāgya) and restraint of sense-craving.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Alongside ritual, polity, and other sciences, the Agni Purana includes didactic material on anatomy-like constituents and moral psychology; this verse exemplifies its integration of bodily description with soteriological instruction (how knowledge supports liberation-oriented conduct).

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

By repeatedly recognizing the body’s impermanent and impure constituents, one reduces attachment and pride, supports ethical self-control, and strengthens liberation-oriented karma (non-clinging action and disciplined living).