Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 36
Śrāddha-kalpa-kathana
Exposition of the Śrāddha Procedure
प्रतिपत्प्रभृतिष्वेतान्वर्जयित्वा चतुर्दशीं शस्त्रेण तु हता ये वै तेषां तत्र प्रदीयते
pratipatprabhṛtiṣvetānvarjayitvā caturdaśīṃ śastreṇa tu hatā ye vai teṣāṃ tatra pradīyate
প্রতিপদা থেকে আরম্ভ করে—চতুর্দশী বাদ দিয়ে—এই তিথিগুলিতে সেখানে যা কিছু অর্পণ করা হয়, তা অস্ত্রে নিহতদের জন্যই নির্ধারিত হয়।
Lord Agni (teaching to sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Tithi-based allocation in ritual giving: choosing appropriate lunar days for offerings and understanding special exclusions (caturdaśī) and intended recipients (those who died by weapons).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Rule","entry_title":"Tithi-niyama: caturdaśī-varjana and śastra-hata-prāpti","lookup_keywords":["tithi-phala","caturdashi","shastra-hata","shraddha-allocation","ritual-calendar"],"quick_summary":"The verse states a calendrical rule: offerings made from pratipat onward (excluding caturdaśī) are assigned to the class of beings who died by weapons, indicating specialized śrāddha/rite targeting by tithi."}
Weapon Type: General (śastra: bladed/hand weapons)
Concept: Ritual time (kāla) differentiates recipients and efficacy; dharma includes precise niyamas for addressing specific departed categories.
Application: When performing rites intended for particular preta/pitṛ categories, follow tithi restrictions; consult pañcāṅga and local śrāddha-prayoga for correct day selection.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Tithi-phala (Ritual observances and results by lunar day)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A lunar calendar motif with tithis marked; a ritualist points to days from pratipat to trayodaśī, skipping caturdaśī; offerings are symbolically directed toward fallen warriors/weapon-slain spirits in the background.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: priest with palm-leaf pañcāṅga, crescent moon phases above, offering tray, faint silhouettes of weapon-slain figures, solemn palette and iconic forms.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: donor and priest beneath a stylized moon-cycle arch, gold-leaf highlighting the moon phases and offering vessels, caturdaśī visually omitted, devotional yet grave mood.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: didactic composition with a clear tithi wheel, caturdaśī crossed out, priest indicating correct days, minimal background, emphasis on clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: astrologer-priest consulting a calendar, moon phases painted in the margin, offering scene in a courtyard, distant battlefield memorial hinting at weapon-death recipients."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रतिपत्प्रभृतिष्वेतान् → प्रतिपत्-प्रभृतिषु + एतान्; एतान्वर्जयित्वा → एतान् + वर्जयित्वा.
Related Themes: Agni Purana tithi-phala and śrāddha-niyama discussions in the same khanda (163)
FAQs
It specifies a tithi-based rule: rites counted from Pratipat onward should exclude Caturdaśī, and the offering’s beneficiary-class is identified as those slain by weapons.
It exemplifies the text’s calendrical-ritual cataloging—linking lunar dates (tithis) with precise procedural exceptions and the intended recipients of offerings, integrating ritual science with afterlife doctrine.
The instruction channels ritual merit to a particular category of departed souls (those killed by weapons), indicating that correct timing and exceptions in observance affect how spiritual benefit is apportioned.