Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 23
प्रायश्चित्तानि (Expiations) — Association-Impurity, Purification Rites, and Graded Penance
भुक्त्वापीत्वा तथा तेषां षड्रात्रेण विशुद्ध्यति अन्त्यानां भुक्तशेषन्तु भक्षयित्वा द्विजातयः
bhuktvāpītvā tathā teṣāṃ ṣaḍrātreṇa viśuddhyati antyānāṃ bhuktaśeṣantu bhakṣayitvā dvijātayaḥ
Wer von dem isst oder trinkt, was mit ihnen verbunden ist, wird nach sechs Nächten rein. Wenn jedoch Dvijas die von den Antyas (antya, den Letztgestellten) bereits verzehrten Speisereste essen, ist dies ein schwereres Vergehen und erfordert die vorgeschriebene Reinigung.
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, as typical for Agni Purāṇa’s instructional chapters)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Sets a time-bound purification (six nights) after consuming food/drink associated with censured groups; flags consumption of leftovers of antyas as a graver breach needing stricter handling.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Ṣaḍrātra-śuddhi after eating/drinking; gravity of antya-ucchiṣṭa","lookup_keywords":["ṣaḍrātra","ucchiṣṭa","antya","aśauca","śuddhi-kāla"],"quick_summary":"Purification after eating/drinking associated with them is achieved in six nights; consuming the leftovers (ucchiṣṭa) of antyas is treated as a more serious transgression requiring heavier expiation per rule."}
Concept: Purity is regulated by time (kāla-śuddhi) and by the nature of intake (ucchiṣṭa as higher doṣa).
Application: Maintain food-boundary discipline in shared meals; if breached, observe the prescribed waiting/penance period before resuming rites.
Khanda Section: Dharma-śāstra / Śauca-Āśauca (Purification rules and social/ritual conduct)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A communal meal scene where a dvija mistakenly eats/drinks associated food; a six-night purification period is symbolized; a separate cautionary vignette shows leftover consumption as severe.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, dining scene with banana leaves, then a sequence of six night-sky panels with stars, penitent bathing at dawn, restrained palette and iconic figures","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, ornate dining setup with gold accents, then a framed row of six moonlit nights above, central figure in purification posture, temple-like border","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional storyboard: ‘eat/drink’ leading to ‘six nights’ with numbered panels; separate panel warning against ucchiṣṭa, fine lines and soft washes","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed feast and household interior, then calendar-like depiction of six nights, realistic utensils and textiles, moral narrative tone"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Khamaj","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भुक्त्वापीत्वा = भुक्त्वा + पीत्वा; भुक्तशेषन्तु = भुक्तशेषम् + तु. द्विजातयः taken as nominative plural of द्विजाति (m.).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 170 (food-contact impurities)
FAQs
It gives a śauca (purification) time-rule: after consuming food/drink connected with certain persons, purification is attained after six nights, and it flags consumption of antya-leftovers by dvijātis as a more serious breach requiring expiation per dharma codes.
Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purāṇa also preserves dharmaśāstra-like practical regulations—here, detailed rules about food-contact, social boundaries, and ritual purity—showing its wide-ranging, handbook-style scope.
The verse frames food-sharing and leftovers as karmically and ritually consequential; observing prescribed purification protects sacramental purity (especially for dvijātis) and is treated as necessary to restore eligibility for rites and religious acts.