Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 16
Śāva-āśauca and Sūtikā-śauca: Death/Childbirth Impurity, Preta-śuddhi, and Śrāddha Procedure
Chapter 157
आचडान्नैशिकी तथेति ट दशरात्रेण शुद्ध्यन्ति द्वादशाहेन भूमिपः वैश्याः पञ्चदशाहेन शूद्रा मासेन भार्गव
ācaḍānnaiśikī tatheti ṭa daśarātreṇa śuddhyanti dvādaśāhena bhūmipaḥ vaiśyāḥ pañcadaśāhena śūdrā māsena bhārgava
L’(impureté) née de la consommation de ce qu’on appelle ‘ācāḍa’ et des (contacts/actes) nocturnes doit être traitée de même, selon ce qui a été dit. On est purifié en dix nuits ; les rois (kṣatriya) en douze jours ; les vaiśya en quinze jours ; et les śūdra en un mois, ô Bhārgava.
Lord Agni (narrating dharma rules in the Agni Purana)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Fixing graded durations of purification (śuddhi) for different social classes after specified impurity causes (ācāḍa-food and naiśikī).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Varṇa-wise śuddhi durations for ācāḍa and naiśikī impurity","lookup_keywords":["ācāḍa","naiśikī","śuddhi","daśarātra","varṇa-bheda"],"quick_summary":"For the stated impurity, purification is in 10 nights (general), 12 days for kings/kṣatriyas, 15 days for vaiśyas, and 1 month for śūdras."}
Concept: Ritual purity is regulated by time and social duty; graded śuddhi periods maintain communal ritual order.
Application: Use the correct śuddhi duration before resuming worship, śrāddha participation, temple entry, or communal meals.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Shauca-vidhi (Ritual Purity and Impurity Rules)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A teacher enumerates purification periods on a board: 10 nights, 12 days (king), 15 days (vaiśya), 1 month (śūdra), with ritual bathing vessels and a household setting.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, guru pointing to a palm-leaf chart listing days, figures in distinct attire for king, merchant, worker, ritual water pot and kuśa grass, didactic composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, gold-leaf accents on calendar motifs and ritual vessels, four figures representing varṇas around an ācārya, emphasis on symmetry and clarity.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional diagram integrated into scene, labeled day-counts, soft colors, focus on pedagogy.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, court scribe recording day-counts for purification, king present, merchants and attendants, fine detailing of textiles and margins."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: IAST ‘ācaḍānnaiśikī’ resolved as आचडात् + नैशिकी (reading uncertain due to textual corruption); दशरात्रेण (द्विगु); द्वादशाहेन (द्विगु); पञ्चदशाहेन (द्विगु)
Related Themes: Agni Purana 157 (Śauca-vidhi sequence); Agni Purana 157.15 (related āśauca timing logic)
FAQs
It specifies graded purification (śuddhi) time-periods—measured in nights/days/month—applied after certain impurities (including censured food and nocturnal-related impurity), differentiated by social status/varṇa.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purana compiles practical dharma-legal material: concise, rule-like prescriptions for ritual purity (śauca), functioning like a digest of social-religious law and expiation practice.
Observing the stated purification period is presented as restoring ritual eligibility and reducing the karmic/ritual contamination (aśauca), enabling a person to resume worship, rites, and social-religious duties in a sanctioned manner.