Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 26
Srāvādya-śauca
Impurity due to bodily discharge and allied causes
आत्मनस्त्यागिनाञ्चैव निवर्तेतोदकक्रिया मात्रैकया द्विपितरौ भ्रतरावन्यगामिनौ
ātmanastyāgināñcaiva nivartetodakakriyā mātraikayā dvipitarau bhratarāvanyagāminau
For those who relinquish their own claim, the water-offering rite (udaka-kriyā) is discontinued. Through the mother alone, two fathers (the natural father and the step-father) may be served; but brothers who have gone over to another family are excluded.
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, as the standard Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Decide who is entitled/obligated to perform udaka-kriyā (water offerings) in funerary contexts, especially in renunciation/waiver-of-claim cases and complex parentage/step-family situations.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Discontinuance and eligibility rules for udaka-kriyā (funerary water-offering)","lookup_keywords":["udaka-kriyā","antyeṣṭi","tyāgin","mātṛkā","step-father"],"quick_summary":"States that those who renounce their claim cease the water-offering rite; the mother may offer to both natural and step-father, while brothers who have shifted to another family are excluded."}
Concept: Ritual obligation follows recognized relational bonds and entitlement; renunciation/waiver alters ritual agency.
Application: In funerary planning, assign udaka-kriyā performers correctly (especially in blended families) to avoid doṣa (ritual fault).
Khanda Section: Śrāddha-vidhi / Antyeṣṭi-vidhi (Funerary rites and ancestral water-offerings)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A riverside funerary setting: a mother pours water offerings for two paternal figures; a renouncer declines participation; a brother who joined another household stands apart, excluded.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, riverbank with offering pots, mother in white pouring udaka toward two symbolic father figures, ascetic/tyāgin with folded hands stepping back, strong outlines and earthy tones","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-highlighted water pot (kalaśa) and darbha grass, central mother figure performing udaka-kriyā, two paternal icons behind, ornate frame","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear instructional depiction of who performs and who refrains, labeled figures (mātā, pitā, dvitīya-pitā, tyāgin, anyagāmī bhrātā), soft palette","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed river ghat with attendants, mother offering water, a renouncer in ochre refusing, excluded brother at edge, fine architectural and textile detail"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ātmanastyāgināñcaiva = ātmanaḥ tyāginām ca eva; nivartetodakakriyā = nivarteta udaka-kriyā; mātraikayā = mātrā ekayā; bhratarāvanyagāminau = bhrātarau anya-gāminau.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 158 (śrāddha/antyeṣṭi eligibility rules)
FAQs
It specifies eligibility/exceptions for udaka-kriyā (ancestral water-offerings): when the rite is to be discontinued for certain renouncers, and how maternal performance can extend to two paternal figures while excluding brothers who have shifted family affiliation.
Beyond mythology, it preserves applied dharma-śāstra style rules for funerary practice—defining who counts as an eligible recipient/line for śrāddha-related water rites in complex family situations (multiple fathers, changed kin affiliation).
Correct performance (and correct exclusion) in udaka-kriyā is treated as essential for properly directing offerings to the intended ancestral line, avoiding misdirected rites and ensuring the intended purification and pitṛ-satisfaction (pitṛ-tarpaṇa).