Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 33
Chapter 168 — महापातकादिकथनम्
Exposition of Great Sins and Related Topics
समानि ब्रह्महत्ययेति ख , ङ , ञ च गर्हितानामन्नजग्धिरिति ङ सख्युः सुतस्य चेति ङ सर्वाकारेष्वधीकारो महायन्त्रप्रवर्तनं हिंसौषधीनां स्त्र्याजीवः क्रियालङ्गनमेव च
samāni brahmahatyayeti kha , ṅa , ña ca garhitānāmannajagdhiriti ṅa sakhyuḥ sutasya ceti ṅa sarvākāreṣvadhīkāro mahāyantrapravartanaṃ hiṃsauṣadhīnāṃ stryājīvaḥ kriyālaṅganameva ca
„(Es gibt Handlungen), die dem Brahmahatyā (der Tötung eines Brāhmaṇa) gleichkommen“, so nach den Lesarten kha-, ṅa- und ña-. „Das Essen der Speise (die übrig blieb) von den Geschmähten“, so liest die ṅa-Version; und „(der Verkehr mit) der Frau des Sohnes eines Freundes“, so liest die ṅa-Version. Ferner tadelnswert sind: sich ohne Befähigung in allen Bereichen Autorität anzumaßen, große Maschinen/Triebwerke in Gang zu setzen, gewaltsame oder giftige Heilmittel zu verwenden, vom (Erwerb der) Frauen zu leben und die vorgeschriebenen Riten (kriyā) zu übertreten.
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s dharma/prāyaścitta material)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Ethical screening of occupations and actions (especially power, technology, medicine, and livelihood) to avoid mahāpātaka-equivalent blame and to guide prāyaścitta decisions.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Brahmahatyā-samāna and other garhita karmas (censured acts)","lookup_keywords":["brahmahatyā-samāna","garhita karma","mahāyantra","hiṃsauṣadhi","strī-ājīva"],"quick_summary":"The verse catalogs acts treated as gravely blameworthy—some equated with brahma-slaughter—covering polluted food, illicit sexual conduct, overreach of authority, dangerous technologies, violent/poison medicines, exploitative livelihood, and ritual transgression."}
Concept: Adharma arises from pollution (anna-doṣa), sexual transgression, illegitimate power, harmful technology, and ritual breach; gravity can reach mahāpātaka-equivalence.
Application: Use as a conduct checklist for rulers/householders: qualify authority, regulate machines/enterprises, ensure medical non-maleficence, and keep livelihood non-exploitative and rites rule-compliant.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Prayashchitta (Dharma-shastra: sins, prohibitions, and expiations)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A didactic courtly scene: a dharma-ācārya enumerates censured acts to a ruler; in vignettes appear polluted food offerings, illicit liaison, a large mechanical engine being set in motion, a physician holding a vial marked as poison, and an exploitative household economy.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm earthy palette, a seated rishi-teacher instructing a king on dharma; surrounding narrative panels: forbidden food, illicit union, a large yantra with wheels, a vaidya with a dark poison flask; flat iconic faces, ornate borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central gold-embossed guru and king in a sabhā, with small gold-highlighted inset scenes of mahāyantra, poison-medicine, and ritual transgression; rich reds and greens, heavy jewelry detailing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean linework instructional tableau: labeled vignettes of each garhita act (anna-doṣa, illicit sex, overreach of authority, machine operation, violent medicine, strī-ājīva, kriyā-laṅghana); muted pastels, precise detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, court scholar reading a list to nobles; marginal mini-scenes: a mechanical contraption, a physician mixing a harsh drug, a ritual altar neglected; fine architectural interior, delicate brushwork, naturalistic figures."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"admonitory","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Resolved: ब्रह्महत्ययेति→ब्रह्महत्यया+इति; गर्हितानामन्नजग्धिरिति→गर्हितानाम्+अन्नजग्धिः+इति; सर्वाकारेष्वधीकारो→सर्वाकारेṣu+अधिकारः; क्रियालङ्गनमेव→क्रियालङ्घनम्+एव.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Rājadharma/Nīti sections on daṇḍa and conduct; Agni Purana: Prāyaścitta listings of mahāpātaka/upapātaka
FAQs
It enumerates actions treated as gravely censurable—some even classed as equivalent to brahmahatyā—and flags ritual/ethical disqualifications such as violating prescribed kriyā and engaging in harmful drug-use practices.
Beyond mythic narration, it preserves dharma-shastra style catalogues of prohibited conduct, social-legal disqualifications (adhikāra), and even notes on dangerous medicinal substances and technology (yantra), showing the text’s wide-ranging, compendious scope.
By classifying certain behaviors as highly sinful (up to brahmahatyā-equivalence), the verse warns that such acts generate heavy karmic demerit and require strict avoidance (and, elsewhere in the chapter, expiation) to protect purity and spiritual progress.