Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 10
Chapter 168 — महापातकादिकथनम्
Exposition of Great Sins and Related Topics
अनिर्दिशं च प्रेतान्नं गवाघ्रातं तथैव च शूद्रोच्छिष्टं शुनोच्छिष्टं पतितान्नं तथैव च
anirdiśaṃ ca pretānnaṃ gavāghrātaṃ tathaiva ca śūdrocchiṣṭaṃ śunocchiṣṭaṃ patitānnaṃ tathaiva ca
જે અન્નનો સ્ત્રોત/માલિકી નિર્ધારિત ન હોય, પ્રેતકર્મસંબંધિત અન્ન, ગાયે સૂંઘેલું અન્ન, શૂદ્રનું ઉચ્છિષ્ટ, કૂતરાનું ઉચ્છિષ્ટ અને પતિતનું અન્ન—આ બધું અપવિત્ર હોવાથી ત્યાજ્ય છે.
Lord Agni (narrating purificatory and dharma rules, traditionally to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Everyday purity screening for food sources and contact-contamination (death rites, animals, leftovers, outcast association).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Impure foods to be avoided (anna-doṣa list)","lookup_keywords":["anirdiṣṭa-anna","preta-anna","gavāghrāta","ucchiṣṭa","patita-anna"],"quick_summary":"Avoid food of uncertain provenance, funerary-associated food, food smelt by a cow, leftovers of a Śūdra or dog, and food from a fallen/outcaste person—these are treated as impure for consumption."}
Concept: Śauca depends on provenance and contact; purity is relational (source, handler, and context).
Application: Adopt provenance-checking and avoid contact-contaminated food in domestic and ritual settings.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Shaucha-vidhi (Rules of purity and food discipline)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sequence of small scenes illustrating each impure food category: unknown-source food, funerary offering context, cow smelling a dish, leftovers, dog’s leftovers, and an outcaste-associated offering—each marked as ‘to be avoided’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural with narrative panels; six compartments showing the impure-food cases; clear gestures of refusal; muted tones with decorative borders; emphasis on didactic clarity.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore iconographic panels with gold separators; each panel shows a dish and its contaminating context (cow sniffing, funeral rite, leftovers); gold accents on vessels; ‘avoid’ conveyed through hand gesture (niṣedha-mudrā).","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, schematic instructional chart; labeled mini-scenes for anirdiṣṭa, preta, gavāghrāta, śūdrochiṣṭa, śunocchiṣṭa, patitānna; fine linework and readable composition.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature with multiple vignettes; domestic kitchen, cremation-ground offering scene, courtyard with cow, street dog near leftovers; refined detail and calligraphic captions."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Asavari","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रेतान्नं = प्रेत-अन्नम्; गवाघ्रातं = गवा-आघ्रातम्; शूद्रोच्छिष्टं = शूद्र-उच्छिष्टम्; शुनोच्छिष्टं = शुनः-उच्छिष्टम्; पतितान्नं = पतित-अन्नम्; तथैव = तथा + एव.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 168 (anna-śauca lists; aśauca linkage)
FAQs
It lists categories of aśuddha-anna (ritually impure foods) that should be avoided due to contamination, improper attribution, association with death rites, or contact with animals/people considered ritually polluting in dharma literature.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical Dharma-shastra material—daily-life regulations on purity, diet, and social-ritual conduct—showing its wide coverage of governance of life, not only mythic narration.
Avoiding impure food is presented as safeguarding ritual fitness and inner purity; it reduces impurity (aśauca/doṣa) that can obstruct merit (puṇya), worship, and disciplined spiritual practice.