Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 43
प्रायश्चित्तानि (Expiations) — Association-Impurity, Purification Rites, and Graded Penance
नारं स्पृष्ट्वास्थि सस्नेहं स्नात्वा विप्रो विशुद्ध्यति रथ्यार्कद्दमतोयेन अधीनाभेर्मृदोदकैः
nāraṃ spṛṣṭvāsthi sasnehaṃ snātvā vipro viśuddhyati rathyārkaddamatoyena adhīnābhermṛdodakaiḥ
মানৱ-শৱ বা সস্নেহ (মাংসাৱশিষ্ট) অস্থি স্পৰ্শ কৰিলে ব্ৰাহ্মণ স্নানত শুদ্ধ হয়—পথৰ জল, সূৰ্যতপ্ত জল, কাদাযুক্ত জল, অথবা নাভিৰ তলৰ জল দিয়েও।
Lord Agni (teaching ritual law to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Specifies acceptable water sources/qualities for purification bath after touching a corpse or greasy bone, including constrained or suboptimal waters when ideal water is unavailable.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Snāna-śuddhi waters for narāsthi-sparśa (corpse/bone contact)","lookup_keywords":["narāsthi","sasneha-asthi","snāna","rathyā-toya","adhonābhi-jala"],"quick_summary":"After touching a corpse or a bone with fleshy/oily residue, purification is by bathing, even using street-water, sun-warmed water, muddy water, or water drawn from below the navel level."}
Concept: Dharma provides graded, practical allowances (anukalpa) for purification when ideal resources are absent.
Application: In travel or scarcity, one may still complete śauca using available water types, maintaining ritual continuity.
Khanda Section: Śauca-vidhi (Ritual Purification and Impurity-Removal Rites)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A brāhmaṇa performs purification bath after contact with a corpse/bone; multiple water sources are shown as permissible—street runoff, sun-warmed pot, muddy pond, and low-drawn water—emphasizing allowance under constraint.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, four small vignettes around a central bathing figure: street channel water, pot kept in sunlight, muddy pond, and a low-held vessel below navel; bold outlines, earthy tones, clear symbolic labeling.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, central figure bathing with gold-highlighted water pot; surrounding medallions depict the four water types; ornate frame and rich colors, emphasis on ritual legitimacy despite imperfect water.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional chart-like painting: icons for rathyā-toya, arka-tapta-jala, kardama-toya, adhonābhi-jala; neat composition, soft palette, precise detailing of vessels and water textures.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, realistic ghāṭa and street scene with a small channel, a sunlit courtyard with pot, a muddy pool, and a figure drawing water low; fine brushwork and architectural detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्पृष्ट्वास्थि = स्पृष्ट्वा अस्थि (आ + अ → आ); रथ्यार्कद्दमतोयेन treated as multi-member compound; अधीनाभेर्मृदोदकैः = अधीनाभेः मृद्-उदकैः (ः + म् → र्म्).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 170 (water and bathing rules within Śauca-vidhi)
FAQs
It gives a practical śauca rule: after touching a human corpse or a bone with remaining greasy/fleshy matter, purification is achieved through snāna (ritual bathing), even using readily available waters (street-water, sun-warmed, muddy, etc.).
Alongside theology and worship, the Agni Purāṇa preserves applied dharma—detailed hygiene and impurity-removal protocols—showing its wide coverage of social-religious law and daily-life ritual procedure.
It frames physical cleansing (snāna) as a dharmic method to remove aśauca (ritual impurity), restoring eligibility for rites, mantra-use, and sacred duties after contaminating contact.