Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 6
प्रायश्चित्तानि (Expiations) — Association-Impurity, Purification Rites, and Graded Penance
ज्येष्ठांशम्प्राप्नुयाच्चास्य यवीयान् गुणतो ऽधिकः महापापोपपन्नानामिति ङ प्रायश्चित्तं वदामि त इति झ प्रेतवत् सदेति ख , ग , घ , ङ च प्रायश्चित्ते तु चरिते पूर्णं कुम्भमपां नवं
jyeṣṭhāṃśamprāpnuyāccāsya yavīyān guṇato 'dhikaḥ mahāpāpopapannānāmiti ṅa prāyaścittaṃ vadāmi ta iti jha pretavat sadeti kha , ga , gha , ṅa ca prāyaścitte tu carite pūrṇaṃ kumbhamapāṃ navaṃ
In diesem Fall soll der Jüngere (Bruder oder Verwandter) den Anteil des Älteren erhalten, da er an Verdienst (guṇa) überlegen ist. Hinsichtlich derer, die von großen Sünden befleckt sind—so lesen es die Autoritäten—werde ich die Sühne (prāyaścitta) darlegen. (Einige Rezensionen lesen:) „man soll ihn wie einen preta (Totengeist/Unreinen) behandeln“, so in den Lesarten kha, ga, gha und ṅa. Wenn die Sühne vollzogen ist, soll ein neuer, voller Wasserkrug dargebracht werden.
Lord Agni (narrating Agni Purana teachings to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the standard frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Guides expiation protocol for mahāpātaka-tainted persons, including social treatment during impurity and the concluding rite (new full water-pot offering).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Mahāpāpa-prāyaścitta: preta-vat vyavahāra and pūrṇa-kumbha conclusion","lookup_keywords":["mahāpāpa","prāyaścitta","preta-vat","pūrṇa-kumbha","apāṃ kumbha"],"quick_summary":"For grave sin, the text indicates a prāyaścitta with a period of treated-impurity (preta-like status in some recensions) and a concluding act involving a new, full water-pot."}
Concept: Pāpa is remediable through prescribed expiation and regulated social-ritual reintegration; textual variants (preta-vat) indicate stricter impurity-handling in some recensions.
Application: Apply the appropriate prāyaścitta steps and complete with a symbolic purification gift/rite (new full water-pot) to mark closure and restoration.
Khanda Section: Prāyaścitta-dharma (Expiations and Purificatory Rites)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A penitent completing expiation; attendants present a newly made, full water-pot as the concluding purification token; the atmosphere is austere and ritualistic.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, muted earth pigments, a dharma-ritual scene: penitent in simple cloth, priest holding a pūrṇa-kumbha filled with water and mango leaves, sacred fire nearby, calm solemn faces, flat iconic composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf highlights on the pūrṇa-kumbha and ritual vessels, priest and penitent seated, ornate border, emphasis on the shining new water-pot as the completion of prāyaścitta.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, fine linework: step-by-step ritual conclusion with a new full water-pot, labeled vessels, clean architectural interior of a household ritual space, instructional clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed courtyard scene: penitent and Brahmin officiant, attendants carrying a freshly made water-pot brimming, delicate textiles, naturalistic shading, subdued solemn palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ज्येष्ठांशम्प्राप्नुयाच्चास्य → ज्येष्ठ-अंशम् + प्राप्नुयात् + च + अस्य; गुणतो ऽधिकः → गुणतः + अधिकः; महापापोपपन्नानाम् → महापाप-उपपन्नानाम्; प्रायश्चित्ते तु चरिते → प्रायश्चित्ते + तु + चरिते; कुम्भमपां → कुम्भम् + अपाम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: prāyaścitta-khaṇḍa sections on mahāpātaka and śuddhi; Agni Purana: dāna/udaka-kumbha related gift rules
FAQs
It conveys prāyaścitta protocol for grave wrongdoing and notes a concluding ritual act: presenting a new, full water-pot (pūrṇa-kumbha) after the expiation is completed.
It blends dharma-śāstric concerns (eligibility/entitlement to an elder’s share based on merit) with ritual jurisprudence (expiations for mahāpāpa and impurity-handling), showing the text’s coverage of both social order and liturgical procedure.
It frames expiation as a means to neutralize the karmic stain of great sin and restore ritual/social purity, with the pūrṇa-kumbha functioning as a completion marker and auspicious reintegration gesture.