Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 23
Adhyaya 165 — नानाधर्माः
Various Dharmas
अक्षयाय यतिः श्राद्धे पङ्क्तिपावनपावनः आरूढो नैष्ठिकन्धर्मं यस्तु प्रच्यवते द्विजः
akṣayāya yatiḥ śrāddhe paṅktipāvanapāvanaḥ ārūḍho naiṣṭhikandharmaṃ yastu pracyavate dvijaḥ
En el Śrāddha, el yati (renunciante) otorga mérito akṣaya (imperecedero) y purifica la fila de los comensales. Pero el dvija (dos veces nacido) que, habiendo asumido el naiṣṭhika-dharma (disciplina firme), se aparta de él—no es así.
Lord Agni (in instruction to Vasiṣṭha, in the Agni Purāṇa’s didactic flow)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Śrāddha planning: whom to invite/seat in the pāṅkti (dining line), and how eligibility affects akṣaya-phala (imperishable merit).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Yati in Śrāddha as Pāṅkti-pāvana; exclusion of fallen Naiṣṭhika","lookup_keywords":["śrāddha","yati","pāṅkti-pāvana","naiṣṭhika-dharma","patita-dvija"],"quick_summary":"A true renunciant invited to Śrāddha is said to confer imperishable merit and purify the dining line; one who has fallen from a vowed steadfast discipline is not accorded that status."}
Concept: Adhikāra (eligibility) and śīla (steadfast conduct) determine ritual efficacy; renunciation is honored when authentic and unfallen.
Application: Select qualified invitees; uphold vows—falling from naiṣṭhika discipline diminishes ritual authority and social-ritual trust.
Khanda Section: Śrāddha-vidhi (Pitṛ-kāṇḍa / Ancestor-rites and ritual law)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A householder conducts Śrāddha: a serene yati is seated prominently in the dining line while a fallen ascetic is respectfully excluded; offerings to pitṛs are arranged with kuśa, piṇḍa, and water-vessels.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, warm earthy palette, śrāddha scene in a traditional courtyard, yati with daṇḍa/kamaṇḍalu seated as pāṅkti-pāvana, ritual vessels and piṇḍas, stylized faces and ornamental borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central yati with halo-like aureole, gold-leaf detailing on vessels and textiles, śrāddha altar with piṇḍas and kuśa, householder in dhoti offering arghya, rich reds and greens.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean linework, instructional composition showing seating order of pāṅkti, labels implied by gestures, subtle gold highlights, calm domestic ritual setting.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed interior courtyard, precise textiles and utensils, yati seated among brāhmaṇas, householder serving, narrative contrast with a withdrawn fallen ascetic at the edge, fine brushwork."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shree","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: naiṣṭhikandharmaṃ → naiṣṭhika-dharmaṃ (कर्मधारय-समास). yastu → yaḥ tu. paṅktipāvanapāvanaḥ treated as compound paṅkti-pāvana-pāvanaḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 165 (Śrāddha-vidhi and pāṅkti-śuddhi context)
FAQs
It gives a śrāddha technical rule about pātra (eligibility): inviting a yati (renunciant) yields akṣaya (undiminishing) merit and purifies the paṅkti, while a dvija who has lapsed from naiṣṭhika discipline is implicitly unsuitable.
It exemplifies the Purāṇa’s dharma-śāstra-like coverage of ritual procedure—codifying participant qualifications, purity logic, and karmic outcomes within ancestor rites, alongside its many other disciplines.
Honoring a true renunciant in śrāddha is said to produce imperishable merit and communal purification, whereas religious backsliding (from vowed steadfast discipline) diminishes ritual fitness and the intended sanctifying effect.