Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 64
Srāvādya-śauca
Impurity due to bodily discharge and allied causes
सूतके मृतकं चेत्स्यान् मृतके त्वथ सूतकं तत्राधिकृत्य मृतकं शौचं कुर्यान्न सूतकं
sūtake mṛtakaṃ cetsyān mṛtake tvatha sūtakaṃ tatrādhikṛtya mṛtakaṃ śaucaṃ kuryānna sūtakaṃ
Si, durant l’impureté de naissance (sūtaka), survient une impureté de mort (mṛtaka), ou si, durant l’impureté de mort, survient une impureté de naissance, alors il faut donner la préséance à l’impureté de mort : accomplir la purification prescrite pour mṛtaka, et non celle de sūtaka.
Lord Agni (traditionally instructing Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Resolving conflict when birth-impurity and death-impurity overlap by prescribing which purification to perform.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Rule: mṛtaka purification overrides sūtaka in overlap","lookup_keywords":["mṛtaka precedence","sūtaka overlap","shaucha vidhi","ashaucha hierarchy","purification rule"],"quick_summary":"When a death occurs during sūtaka, or a birth occurs during mṛtaka, one follows the mṛtaka purification regimen, not the sūtaka regimen."}
Concept: In competing ritual constraints, the graver/ritually weightier condition (mṛtaka) takes precedence for śauca performance.
Application: Determines when one may resume worship, cooking for others, temple entry, śrāddha participation, and saṃskāras during overlapping events.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra (Ashauca / Shauca Vidhi)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Two timelines overlap: a birth event and a death event; the death-impurity track is highlighted as the governing purification, with a priest indicating the correct observance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, priest pointing to a palm-leaf chart showing overlapping sūtaka and mṛtaka, mṛtaka band painted bolder, family in restrained attire, traditional lamp-lit interior","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, dharma-ācārya with stylized gold halo-like arch, holding a manuscript; below, two overlapping scroll-bands labeled sūtaka/mṛtaka with mṛtaka emphasized in gold detailing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic diagrammatic scene: overlapping bars for sūtaka and mṛtaka, arrow to ‘mṛtaka śauca’, fine outlines, calm palette, scholarly ambience","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly jurist in a veranda explaining precedence to householders, delicate calligraphic labels for sūtaka and mṛtaka, emphasis on the mṛtaka instruction"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चेत्स्यान् = चेत् + स्यात्; त्वथ = तु + अथ; तत्राधिकृत्य = तत्र + अधिकृत्य; कुर्यान्न = कुर्यात् + न
Related Themes: Agni Purana 158.63 (overlap principle); Agni Purana 158 (ashaucha gradations)
FAQs
It gives a precedence rule in ashauca: when sūtaka (birth impurity) and mṛtaka (death impurity) overlap, follow the mṛtaka purification regimen as the governing shauca.
It shows the Purana functioning like a Dharma-shastra digest—codifying practical edge-cases in domestic and ritual law (purity, mourning, and cleansing), alongside its many other disciplines.
By prioritizing the stronger impurity (death-related), the householder maintains correct ritual order and safeguards dharmic conduct, supporting inner and outer purification for continued worship and rites.