Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 31
Śāva-āśauca and Sūtikā-śauca: Death/Childbirth Impurity, Preta-śuddhi, and Śrāddha Procedure
Chapter 157
देवत्वे यातनास्थाने प्रेतः श्राद्धं कृतं लभेत् नोपकुर्यान्नरः शोचन् प्रेतस्यात्मन एव वा
devatve yātanāsthāne pretaḥ śrāddhaṃ kṛtaṃ labhet nopakuryānnaraḥ śocan pretasyātmana eva vā
Whether the departed has attained a divine state or has fallen into a place of torment, the preta receives the śrāddha that is performed. Therefore one should not refrain from this helpful rite, grieving either for the departed—or for oneself.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Perform śrāddha and preta-kriyā regardless of uncertainty about the departed’s post-mortem state; treat it as obligatory aid to the departed and protection for the living.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Śrāddha reaches the preta in all post-death states","lookup_keywords":["shraddha","preta","yatanasthana","devatva","antyeshti"],"quick_summary":"Whether the departed is in a divine condition or in torment, the offering of śrāddha is received; hence one should not omit the rite out of grief or doubt."}
Alamkara Type: Arthāntaranyāsa (reasoned reinforcement)
Concept: Ritual efficacy of śrāddha is not contingent on knowing the preta’s exact gati; omission harms both departed and performer.
Application: Do timely śrāddha (ekoddiṣṭa/sapīṇḍīkaraṇa as applicable) and associated dāna; convert grief into dharmic action.
Khanda Section: Śrāddha & Preta-kriyā (Post-death rites and ancestral offerings)
Primary Rasa: Karuna
Secondary Rasa: Shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A householder performs piṇḍa and water offerings; above, two contrasting realms are shown—deva-like radiance and a dark torment-place—yet the offering stream reaches the preta in both.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: split-register composition—upper luminous deva-loka, lower yātanā realm; central preta receiving a thread of offering from a brāhmaṇa performing śrāddha near a riverbank; muted yet sacred palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: richly adorned śrāddha scene with gold vessels, banana leaves, piṇḍas; a subtle haloed preta figure receiving; ornate frame, gold embossing on ritual items.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional depiction of śrāddha setup—āsana, darbha, piṇḍa placement, water pot; small inset showing preta benefiting; precise, diagram-like clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: domestic courtyard śrāddha with priests; delicate clouds above showing deva/torment vignettes; fine textiles, realistic vessels, subdued grief on faces."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: nopakuryān → na + upakuryāt (final -t assimilated before n in metrical text); pretasyātmanaḥ → pretasya + ātmanaḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: śrāddha-vidhi and preta-gati discussions in the same adhyāya cluster; Agni Purana: dāna and piṇḍa-pradāna rules in śrāddha sections
FAQs
It teaches the operative principle of śrāddha: the offering reaches the preta regardless of whether the departed is in a divine condition (devatva) or in a punitive realm (yātanā-sthāna), so the rite should not be omitted.
It preserves a practical rule of dharma-ritual procedure within a broader compendium that spans many disciplines—here, codifying a concise guideline for funerary/ancestral rites and their efficacy across differing post-mortem states.
Performing śrāddha is presented as a duty that benefits the departed and stabilizes the living; grief should not become a cause for neglect, since the act is meritorious and supportive irrespective of the preta’s current fate.