Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 25
प्रायश्चित्तानि (Expiations) — Association-Impurity, Purification Rites, and Graded Penance
द्विजः शान्तपनं कुर्याच्छूद्रश्चोपवसेद्दिनं चण्डालेन तु संस्पृष्टो यस्त्वपः पिवते द्विजः
dvijaḥ śāntapanaṃ kuryācchūdraścopavaseddinaṃ caṇḍālena tu saṃspṛṣṭo yastvapaḥ pivate dvijaḥ
Ein Dvija soll die Sühne Śāntapana vollziehen, und ein Śūdra soll einen Tag fasten. Doch der Dvija, der, nachdem ihn ein Caṇḍāla berührt hat, Wasser trinkt, hat die vorgeschriebene Sühne zu leisten.
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Specifies expiation by social role and act: dvija performs Śāntapana; Śūdra fasts one day; dvija drinking water after caṇḍāla-touch triggers the stated expiation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Śāntapana for dvija; one-day fast for Śūdra after caṇḍāla-contact and water intake","lookup_keywords":["śāntapana","upavāsa","dvija","śūdra","ap-pāna"],"quick_summary":"A twice-born should perform Śāntapana expiation, while a Śūdra fasts for one day; a dvija who drinks water after being touched by a caṇḍāla is enjoined to the prescribed expiation."}
Concept: Dharma texts grade expiation by varṇa/adhikāra and by the medium of impurity (touch + water intake).
Application: Apply role-appropriate remedial observances; emphasize prevention (avoid contact and immediate consumption) and timely expiation to restore ritual eligibility.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Shaucha-Prayashchitta (Purification and Expiations)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dvija is touched by a caṇḍāla and then drinks water; the scene transitions to Śāntapana observance; alongside, a Śūdra performs a one-day fast.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, two-panel composition: contact and water-drinking on left; on right, dvija in śāntapana with ritual bowl and water pot, Śūdra seated in simple fasting posture, earthy pigments","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-ornamented ritual vessels for Śāntapana, central dvija with sacred thread, side figure Śūdra in plain attire fasting, decorative arch and gold detailing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, didactic split-scene with captions implied by symbols: ‘touch + water’ leading to ‘Śāntapana’; separate ‘one-day fast’, clean lines and soft palette","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, narrative realism: brief contact in street, then indoor penance with attendants, careful rendering of cups and water pot, subdued moral tone"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कुर्याच्छूद्रश्चोपवसेद्दिनं = कुर्यात् + शूद्रः + च + उपवसेत् + दिनम्; यस्त्वपः = यः + तु + अपः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 170 (Śāntapana and fasting penances)
FAQs
It prescribes specific expiations for impurity: Śāntapana-prāyaścitta for a dvija and a one-day fast for a Śūdra, with special attention to impurity arising from contact with a Caṇḍāla and subsequent drinking of water.
Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purana catalogs practical dharma-shastra material—graded rules of purity, social-ritual conduct, and expiations—showing its compendium-like coverage of religious law and daily-life regulation.
The verse frames impurity as a ritual-ethical fault remediable through penance; performing the stated expiation is presented as restoring ritual fitness and reducing the karmic burden associated with transgressive contact and consumption.