Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 23
Chapter 168 — महापातकादिकथनम्
Exposition of Great Sins and Related Topics
द्वितीयं वैश्यशूद्रयोरेति क , ख , ङ , ञ च शुष्काणि दग्धमंसानि इति ङ प्राजापत्याद्द्विजः शुचिरिति ख अग्निहोत्रपरीद्धाग्निर्ब्राह्मणः कामचारतः चान्द्रायणं चरेन्मासं वीरवध्वासनं हितं
dvitīyaṃ vaiśyaśūdrayoreti ka , kha , ṅa , ña ca śuṣkāṇi dagdhamaṃsāni iti ṅa prājāpatyāddvijaḥ śuciriti kha agnihotraparīddhāgnirbrāhmaṇaḥ kāmacārataḥ cāndrāyaṇaṃ carenmāsaṃ vīravadhvāsanaṃ hitaṃ
Für Vaiśya und Śūdra ist die zweite (d. h. niedrigere) Stufe der Sühne vorgeschrieben—so lesen die Varianten (ka, kha, ṅa, ña). In der ṅa-Lesart heißt es: „(man nehme) getrocknetes oder am Feuer geröstetes Fleisch.“ In der kha-Lesart: „Durch die Prājāpatya-Buße wird der Zweimalgeborene gereinigt.“ Ein Brāhmaṇa, der aus lüsterner, undiszipliniert-erlaubter Lebensführung die heiligen Agnihotra-Feuer brennend gehalten hat, soll einen Monat lang das Cāndrāyaṇa-Gelübde üben; dies wird als heilsame Sühne erklärt (im überlieferten Wortlaut auch „vīra-vadhv-āsana“ genannt).
Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Selecting an appropriate prāyaścitta (expiation) by varṇa/adhikāra and by the specific fault (kāmacāra while maintaining agnihotra-fires), including undertaking Cāndrāyaṇa for a month as purification.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Cāndrāyaṇa as expiation for kāmacāra with maintained Agnihotra; varṇa-graded prāyaścitta notes","lookup_keywords":["Cāndrāyaṇa","Prāyaścitta","Agnihotra","Prājāpatya","varṇa-bheda"],"quick_summary":"The verse situates graded expiations (including variant readings) and prescribes a month-long Cāndrāyaṇa for a Brāhmaṇa who has acted from lust/undisciplined conduct while keeping the agnihotra fires. It also preserves recension-variants about diet and the purificatory effect of Prājāpatya."}
Concept: Pāpa-śuddhi through regulated vrata (Cāndrāyaṇa/Prājāpatya) and varṇa-adhikāra-based gradation of expiation.
Application: Use dharma-text categories to choose a proportional penance, emphasizing restraint, ritual discipline, and restoration of social-ritual purity.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Prāyaścitta (Expiations and Purificatory Rites)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A domestic sacred-fire setting with a Brāhmaṇa before the three fires, undertaking a month-long Cāndrāyaṇa discipline; nearby, a palm-leaf manuscript margin shows variant readings about diet and Prājāpatya purification.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm earthy palette, a Brāhmaṇa in white dhoti seated near glowing agnihotra fires, ritual vessels (sruk, sruva), calm penitential posture, manuscript leaf with variant akṣaras in the border, sacred domestic altar ambience.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central agnihotra altar with bright flames, Brāhmaṇa devotee performing prāyaścitta, ornate arch framing, gold-leaf highlights on fire and vessels, minimal background, emphasis on ritual purity.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, instructional composition: labeled ritual items, Brāhmaṇa observing Cāndrāyaṇa regimen, neat linework, soft colors, didactic clarity, manuscript variant notes depicted as marginal glosses.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate household yajña scene, fine detailing of utensils and fire, scholar-priest reading from a manuscript with variant recensions, subdued penitential mood, delicate borders and calligraphy."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vaiśyaśūdrayoḥ → vaiśya-śūdrayoḥ (dvandva); dagdhamaṃsāni → dagdha-maṃsāni; prājāpatyāddvijaḥ → prājāpatyāt dvijaḥ; śuciriti → śuciḥ iti; agnihotraparīddhāgnirbrāhmaṇaḥ → agnihotra-parīddha-agniḥ brāhmaṇaḥ; carenmāsaṃ → caret māsam; vīravadhvāsanaṃ → vīra-vadhvā-āsanam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 168 (Prāyaścitta section: mahāpātaka/upapātaka lists and expiations)
FAQs
It prescribes specific prāyaścitta options—Prājāpatya and a month-long Cāndrāyaṇa—linked to ritual status (dvija/Brāhmaṇa) and conduct, with notes on variant manuscript readings.
It shows the text functioning like a Dharma-shastra manual: cataloguing expiations, social applicability (Vaiśya/Śūdra vs. dvija), and vow-structures (Cāndrāyaṇa), alongside recension-aware transmission.
The verse frames penance as a purifier that restores ritual fitness and mitigates karmic fault arising from desire-driven misconduct, especially for those responsible for maintaining Vedic sacred fires.