Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 39
प्रायश्चित्तानि (Expiations) — Association-Impurity, Purification Rites, and Graded Penance
उपानहममेध्यं च यस्य संस्पृशते मुखं मृत्तिकागोमयौ तत्र पञ्चगव्यञ्च शोधनं
upānahamamedhyaṃ ca yasya saṃspṛśate mukhaṃ mṛttikāgomayau tatra pañcagavyañca śodhanaṃ
যদি জুতো (উপানহ) বা কোনো অপবিত্র বস্তু মুখ স্পর্শ করে, তবে সেখানে মাটি ও গোবর দ্বারা শোধন করতে হবে, এবং পঞ্চগব্য দ্বারাও শুদ্ধি করতে হবে।
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Ayurveda","practical_application":"Immediate decontamination protocol when footwear/impure matter contacts the mouth: cleanse with clay and cow-dung, and purify with pañcagavya—restoring ritual cleanliness.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Mouth-contact impurity: purification with mṛttikā, gomaya, and pañcagavya","lookup_keywords":["upānah","amedhya","mukha","pañcagavya","mṛttikā"],"quick_summary":"If the mouth is touched by footwear or impurity, cleanse using clay and cow-dung and complete purification with pañcagavya as prescribed."}
Concept: Contact (saṃsparśa) with amedhya creates impurity; prescribed substances and acts restore śuddhi and social-ritual order.
Application: Maintain boundaries between impure objects and the body’s orifices; if breached, perform immediate corrective cleansing and follow community-accepted purification steps.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Shauca-vidhi (Ritual Purification and Impurity Removal)
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A person’s mouth is accidentally touched by footwear/impurity; he performs cleansing with clay and cow-dung and then takes/applies pañcagavya for purification.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, close-up narrative: impure contact near the face, then ritual cleansing with clay paste and gomaya, followed by a small vessel labeled pañcagavya; strong linework, earthy palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ritual purification scene with ornate vessels, gold-leaf highlights on pots and borders, the subject washing and then receiving pañcagavya from a priest.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, step-by-step instructional depiction: (1) contact, (2) clay cleansing, (3) gomaya application, (4) pañcagavya administration; clean composition and captions.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, domestic courtyard with detailed utensils; a figure rinses mouth while another holds a small bowl of pañcagavya; intricate textiles and architectural framing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: उपानहममेध्यम् = उपानहम् + अमेध्यम्; पञ्चगव्यञ्च = पञ्चगव्यम् + च
Related Themes: Agni Purana 170 (śauca substances and expiations)
FAQs
It prescribes a specific shauca (purificatory) procedure when the mouth is polluted by contact with footwear or other impure substances: cleanse using clay and cow-dung, and additionally employ pañcagavya as a purifier.
Alongside theology and worship, the Agni Purana catalogs practical dharma-shastra style regulations—fine-grained rules of impurity and purification—showing its role as a compendium of ritual, social, and legal-religious practice.
The instruction treats impurity (aśauca/amedhya contact) as spiritually consequential; performing prescribed purification restores ritual fitness (adhikāra) for worship, recitation, and daily rites, thereby preventing the karmic fault associated with negligence of cleanliness.