Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 1
Chapter 153 — Brahmacarya-āśrama-dharma
The Dharma of the Student Stage
इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे गृहस्थवृत्तयो नाम व्रिपञ्चाशदधिकशततमो ऽध्यायः अथ त्रिपञ्चाशदधिकशततमो ऽध्यायः ब्रह्मचर्याश्रमधर्मः पुष्कर उवाच धर्ममाश्रमिणां वक्ष्ये भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं शृणु षोडशर्तुनिशा स्त्रीणामाद्यस्तिस्रस्तु गर्हिताः
ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe gṛhasthavṛttayo nāma vripañcāśadadhikaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ atha tripañcāśadadhikaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ brahmacaryāśramadharmaḥ puṣkara uvāca dharmamāśramiṇāṃ vakṣye bhuktimuktipradaṃ śṛṇu ṣoḍaśartuniśā strīṇāmādyastisrastu garhitāḥ
এভাবে আগ্নেয় মহাপুরাণে ‘গৃহস্থবৃত্তয়ঃ’ নামক একশো বাহান্নতম অধ্যায় সমাপ্ত। অতঃপর একশো তিপ্পান্নতম অধ্যায়—‘ব্রহ্মচর্যাশ্রম-ধর্ম’ আরম্ভ। পুষ্কর বললেন—আশ্রমস্থিতদের ধর্ম বলছি; শোনো, যা ভোগ ও মোক্ষ উভয়ই প্রদান করে। নারীদের ষোলো ‘ঋতু-রাত্রি’ (উর্বর রাত্রি) আছে; তবে প্রথম তিনটি নিন্দিত।
Puṣkara
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Introduces brahmacarya-āśrama duties and a rule about fertile nights (ṛtu-niśā) and prohibited initial nights, informing household sexual ethics, timing, and progeny-regulation within dharma.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Brahmacaryāśrama-dharma & Ṣoḍaśa-ṛtu-niśā (Fertile nights)","lookup_keywords":["brahmacarya","āśrama-dharma","ṛtu-niśā","ṣoḍaśa","gṛhastha-niyama"],"quick_summary":"The chapter frames āśrama duties as granting both bhukti and mukti, and notes the traditional count of sixteen fertile nights for women, with the first three considered censurable for intercourse."}
Concept: Āśrama-dharma integrates worldly well-being (bhukti) with liberation (mukti) through regulated conduct, including sexual restraint and timing.
Application: Supports life-stage discipline: studentship vows, household regulation, and mindful procreation aligned with dharmic calendars.
Khanda Section: Ashrama-dharma (Brahmacharya & Grihastha regulations)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sage named Puṣkara addresses listeners with a manuscript; a symbolic calendar of sixteen nights is shown, with the first three marked as prohibited.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, seated ṛṣi teaching, stylized palm-leaf text, a circular ‘ṛtu-niśā’ wheel of 16 segments with first three shaded, calm ascetic palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Puṣkara-ṛṣi with gold halo, ornate manuscript, decorative 16-petal lotus representing nights, first three petals marked as censured, rich temple-like frame","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional chart of 16 nights beside the teacher, fine lines and soft colors, students attentive, emphasis on rule-based dharma","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, scholarly assembly, illuminated calendar motif with 16 compartments, subtle calligraphy, refined interior setting"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shri","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ity āgneye = iti + āgneye; adhyāyaḥ (’dhyāyaḥ) shows avagraha after -o in śatatamo ’dhyāyaḥ; dharmamāśramiṇāṃ = dharmam + āśramiṇām; ṣoḍaśartuniśā = ṣoḍaśa + ṛtu + niśāḥ (ṛtu- initial causes sandhi: ṣoḍaśa + ṛtu → ṣoḍaśar-tu); strīṇāmādyas- = strīṇām + ādyāḥ; tisrastu = tisraḥ + tu.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Gṛhastha-vṛtti chapter conclusion (immediately preceding); Agni Purana: Brahmacarya-āśrama-dharma chapter opening (153)
FAQs
It introduces āśrama-dharma as a practical discipline yielding both bhukti and mukti, and states a dharmaśāstric rule about ṛtu-kāla: among the sixteen fertile nights, the first three are to be avoided.
It shows the Purāṇa functioning like a compendium: it transitions from household conduct to brahmacarya rules and includes social-legal norms (ṛtu-niśā counting) alongside spiritual goals (bhukti/mukti).
By framing conduct within āśrama-dharma and prescribing restraint (avoiding censured nights), the text links regulated living and purity-oriented discipline with merit, well-being, and progress toward liberation.