Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 33
Prāyaścitta — Definitions of Killing, Brahmahatyā, and Graded Expiations
भ्रूणघ्नावेक्षित्तं चैव सस्पृष्टं वाप्युदक्यया काकाद्यैर् अवलीढं च शुनासंस्पृष्टमेव च
bhrūṇaghnāvekṣittaṃ caiva saspṛṣṭaṃ vāpyudakyayā kākādyair avalīḍhaṃ ca śunāsaṃspṛṣṭameva ca
La nourriture (ou l’offrande préparée) qui a été regardée par un tueur de fœtus, ou touchée par une femme en menstruation, ou léchée par des corbeaux et autres, ou même mise en contact avec un chien, doit être tenue pour souillée.
Lord Agni (in dialogue, traditionally instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Identifying sources of ritual/food defilement to prevent improper consumption and to decide when offerings must be discarded or re-prepared.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Defiling contacts for food/offerings: foetus-slayer, menstruation, crow/dog contact","lookup_keywords":["bhrūṇaghna-dṛṣṭa","udakyā-spṛṣṭa","kāka-avalīḍha","śunā-saṃspṛṣṭa","anna-aśuddhi"],"quick_summary":"Food becomes defiled if seen by a grievous sinner (foetus-slayer), touched by a menstruating woman, licked by crows, or contacted by a dog. Such items are to be treated as impure and avoided in eating/ritual."}
Concept: Ritual purity is sensitive to moral status (pāpa), biological states (rajasvalā), and animal contact; dharma safeguards both yajña-order and social hygiene.
Application: In kitchens and shrāddha/yajña contexts: protect offerings from animals; observe menstrual seclusion rules as per tradition; avoid accepting/using food compromised by socially defined impurity.
Khanda Section: Prāyaścitta & Śauca-vidhi (Purification rules for impurity/contact)
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A prepared offering plate is approached by a crow and a dog; a menstruating woman is shown at a distance; a stern figure representing a grievous sinner casts a glance—symbolizing defilement of food.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, symbolic narrative: offering plate with rice balls, crow pecking and dog sniffing, a woman in red border garment seated apart (menstrual seclusion), shadowy figure with harsh gaze indicating bhrūṇaghna, stylized animals, flat decorative background","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold halo on the offering plate to emphasize sanctity, crow and dog near the plate, separate vignette of a woman seated apart, ornate borders, rich jewel tones","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean didactic composition: central offering plate, arrows/visual cues showing crow licking and dog contact, side panel showing rajasvalā seated separately, soft shading and fine outlines","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtyard with offering tray, crow perched on rim, dog at the edge, householders reacting, a separate alcove with a woman seated apart, detailed textiles and architecture"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: bhrūṇaghnā + īkṣitam → bhrūṇaghnāvekṣitam; vā + api → vāpy; kāka-ādyaiḥ (IAST kākādyaiḥ); śunā + saṃspṛṣṭam → śunāsaṃspṛṣṭam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 173 (anna-śuddhi and prāyaścitta)
FAQs
It specifies śauca (ritual purity) criteria for food/offerings: food becomes impure if seen by a grave sinner (bhrūṇaghna), touched by an udakyā (menstruating woman), licked by birds like crows, or contacted by a dog.
Alongside theology and worship, the Agni Purana compiles practical dharma—minute rules for daily conduct, purity, and handling of food/offerings—showing its broad, handbook-like scope.
Treating such food as defiled protects ritual correctness and personal purity; it prevents inadvertent participation in impurity (aśauca) and supports merit (puṇya) by maintaining dharmic discipline.