Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 36
Mahāpātaka-ādi-kathana
Account of the Great Sins) — concluding note incl. ‘Mārjāra-vadha’ (killing of a cat
अमानुषीषु पुरुष उदक्यायामयोनिषु रेतः सिक्त्वा जले चैव कृच्छ्रं शान्तपनञ्चरेत्
amānuṣīṣu puruṣa udakyāyāmayoniṣu retaḥ siktvā jale caiva kṛcchraṃ śāntapanañcaret
অমানুষী (পশু প্রভৃতি) তে, ঋতুমতী নারীতে, অযোনি (নিষিদ্ধ স্থানে) এবং জলে বীর্যপাত করলে পুরুষের ‘কৃচ্ছ্র’ ও ‘শান্তপন’—উভয় প্রায়শ্চিত্ত পালন করা উচিত।
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Sandhi Resolution Notes: उदक्यायामयोनिषु = उदक्यायाम् + अयोनिषु; चैव = च + एव; शान्तपनञ्चरेत् = शान्तपनम् + चरेत् (with inserted ‘च’ in text: शान्तपनम् + चरेत्; some recensions read ‘शान्तपनं चरेत्’).
FAQs
It prescribes specific expiations—Kṛcchra and Śāntapana—for defined acts considered ritually and ethically transgressive, giving a practical prāyaścitta protocol.
Beyond myth and devotion, it codifies dharma-śāstra style regulation—mapping particular offenses to particular penances—showing the text’s coverage of ritual law and social-religious discipline.
The verse frames these acts as sources of demerit and impurity and teaches that disciplined austerity and expiation can pacify the fault, restore ritual fitness, and reduce karmic burden.