Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 12
Chapter 168 — महापातकादिकथनम्
Exposition of Great Sins and Related Topics
मृतपञ्चनखात् कूपादमेध्येन सकृद्युतात् गणानां गणिकानाञ्चेति ङ , ञ च चौरदाम्भिकयोस्तथेति ञ अपः पीत्वा त्र्यहं तिष्ठेत् सोपवासो द्विजोत्तमः
mṛtapañcanakhāt kūpādamedhyena sakṛdyutāt gaṇānāṃ gaṇikānāñceti ṅa , ña ca cauradāmbhikayostatheti ña apaḥ pītvā tryahaṃ tiṣṭhet sopavāso dvijottamaḥ
Si un puits a été souillé ne fût-ce qu’une seule fois par une source impure—tel le cadavre d’un animal à cinq ongles, ou par fréquentation de personnes impures comme des bandes d’exclus et des courtisanes, ou encore de voleurs et de gens trompeurs—alors le meilleur des deux-fois-nés, après avoir bu de l’eau (à titre de purification), doit demeurer trois jours en jeûne.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purana’s instructional narration)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Public hygiene and ritual safety for water sources: identifies well-contamination by impure contact and prescribes a three-day fast with purificatory water-drinking for dvijas.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Well taint (kūpa-doṣa) and three-day fasting purification","lookup_keywords":["kūpa-śuddhi","pañcanakha-mṛta","amedhya","apāṃ-pāna","trirātra-upavāsa"],"quick_summary":"If a well is tainted even once by impure sources (carcass of a five-nailed animal or contact with impure persons such as outcaste groups, courtesans, thieves, deceivers), a twice-born should drink water as a purificatory act and fast for three days."}
Concept: Shared resources carry shared responsibility; impurity in common water requires disciplined remediation.
Application: Institute community rules for protecting wells; upon contamination, suspend use and perform prescribed purification/fasting observances for ritual restoration.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Shauca-prayashchitta (Purification and expiation rules)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A village well is shown contaminated (symbolically) by an impure carcass/association; a dvija performs purificatory water-drinking and observes a three-day fast beside the well, with community members keeping distance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural; central stone well with lotus motifs; symbolic depiction of contamination (darkened water, small carcass icon at edge) and community caution; dvija seated with kamaṇḍalu drinking water, then fasting; flat stylization and ornate borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold; well rendered as a sacred object with gold highlights; dvija with kamaṇḍalu and fasting posture; surrounding figures (courtesans/thieves) shown as symbolic silhouettes at a distance; rich ornamentation but clear narrative.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, technical clarity; labeled diagram of well contamination sources (pañcanakha-mṛta, amedhya-saṅga); sequence frames: water-drinking rite, then three-day upavāsa; fine linework and soft colors.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature; detailed village courtyard with well; subtle depiction of contamination event; scholar-priest drinks from a small vessel and sits fasting; attendants keep the area cordoned; delicate architecture and textiles."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Malkauns","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कूपादमेध्येन = कूपात् + अमेध्येन; सकृद्युतात् = सकृत् + युतात्; गणिकानाञ्चेति = गणिकानाम् + च + इति; चौरदाम्भिकयोः = चौरयोः + दाम्भिकयोः; त्र्यहं = त्रि-अहम् (द्विगु); सोपवासो = सः + उपवासः. Note: IAST includes editorial markers (ṅa/ña) which are not lexical padas; omitted from pada list.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 168 (water/food purity and trirātra prāyaścitta)
FAQs
It prescribes a specific prāyaścitta: when a well is defiled by impure contact, a dvija performs purification by drinking water and observing a three-day fast.
Alongside theology and myth, the Agni Purana preserves practical dharma-shāstra material—detailed rules for public hygiene, ritual purity, and expiation connected to communal resources like wells.
The three-day fast functions as expiation for contact with impurity, restoring ritual fitness (śuddhi) and reducing the karmic fault associated with defilement.