Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 16
Chapter 172 — “Expiations beginning with the Secret
Rites)” (Rahasya-ādi-prāyaścitta
यत् स्वल्पमपि यत् स्थूलं कुयोनिनरकाबहं तद्यातु प्रशमं सर्वं वासुदेवानुकीर्तनात्
yat svalpamapi yat sthūlaṃ kuyoninarakābahaṃ tadyātu praśamaṃ sarvaṃ vāsudevānukīrtanāt
Qu’il soit léger ou lourd—tout karma menant à une naissance misérable et à l’enfer—que tout cela s’apaise et s’éteigne par la répétition du Nom de Vāsudeva.
Lord Agni (traditionally narrating the Agni Purana to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Vāsudeva-nāma-kīrtana as a general expiation for minor and major karmic burdens believed to cause duryoni (wretched birth) and naraka; used as daily kīrtana/japa discipline.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Vāsudeva-nāma-kīrtana as sarva-pāpa-praśamana","lookup_keywords":["Vāsudeva","anu-kīrtana","duryoni","naraka","sarva-pāpa"],"quick_summary":"The verse asserts a broad soteriological claim: chanting Vāsudeva’s name pacifies karmas—small or great—that lead to degraded rebirth and hellish suffering."}
Alamkara Type: Dvandva/antithesis (svalpa vs sthūla)
Concept: Grace-mediated purification: nāma-kīrtana functions as an upāya that quiets karmic seeds (pāpa-bīja-śamana) and redirects destiny.
Application: Establish a fixed count or time for Vāsudeva-japa/kīrtana daily; combine with ethical restraint to avoid re-accumulation.
Khanda Section: Bhakti-yoga / Vishnu-nama-kirtana (Purification through devotion)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A circle of devotees chanting ‘Vāsudeva’ with cymbals and drum; above them, a luminous Viṣṇu/Vāsudeva presence; below, dark motifs of ‘naraka’ and ‘duryoni’ dissolving into light as the chanting rises.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, kīrtana mandali with chenda and tāla, stylized flames of naraka at bottom fading, Vāsudeva above with conch and discus, bold outlines and traditional palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central Vāsudeva with gold foil aura, devotees singing below, gold highlights on instruments, dark lower band symbolizing naraka transforming into lotus motifs.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear narrative: left panel ‘svalpa pāpa’, right panel ‘sthūla pāpa’, both converging into central kīrtana scene; soft colors, didactic captions.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, musical assembly in a garden pavilion, detailed instruments and garments, ethereal divine figure above, symbolic dark cloud at bottom dispersing with sound waves."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यत्स्वल्पमपि = यत् + स्वल्पम् + अपि; कुयोनिनरकाबहं = कुयोनि-नरक-आबहम्; तद्यātu = तत् + यातु; वासुदेवानुकीर्तनात् = वासुदेव + अनुकीर्तनात्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 172 (nāma-kīrtana and prāyaścitta claims)
FAQs
It teaches the practical bhakti-discipline of Vāsudeva-anukīrtana (repeated chanting/praise of Vāsudeva) as a direct remedial practice for pacifying harmful karmic results.
Alongside rites, law, polity, medicine, and arts, the Agni Purana also codifies soteriological methods; here it preserves a concise, actionable doctrine of purification through divine name-chanting.
It asserts that both minor and major karmas that would otherwise produce degraded rebirth or hellish experience can be calmed and neutralized through sustained remembrance and chanting of Vāsudeva.