Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 6
Chapter 168 — महापातकादिकथनम्
Exposition of Great Sins and Related Topics
कर्मारस्य निषादस्य चेलनिर्णेजकस्य च मिथ्याप्रव्रजितस्यान्नम्पुंश् चल्यास्तैलिकस्य च
karmārasya niṣādasya celanirṇejakasya ca mithyāpravrajitasyānnampuṃś calyāstailikasya ca
કર્માર (લોહાર), નિષાદ (શિકારી/વનવાસી), ચેલનિર્ણેજક (વસ્ત્ર ધોવનાર), મિથ્યાપ્રવ્રજિત (ઢોંગી સંન્યાસી)નું અન્ન; તેમજ પુંશ્ચલી (છલિની/વ્યભિચારિણી) અને તૈલિક (તેલી)નું અન્ન પણ વર્જ્ય છે.
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Household and civic purity management: identifying censured occupations and imposture (false renunciant) affecting eligibility for commensality and acceptance of cooked food.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Anna-śuddhi: Censured occupations and impostors (karmāra, niṣāda, washerman, false renunciant, cook/food-seller, eunuch, cheating woman, oilman)","lookup_keywords":["karmāra","niṣāda","mithyāpravrajita","tailika","anna-śuddhi"],"quick_summary":"Food from certain stigmatized occupations and deceptive persons is to be avoided; the rule functions as a social-ritual filter for maintaining śuddhi in domestic and ceremonial life."}
Concept: Ācāra depends on the perceived purity of livelihood (ājīvikā-śuddhi) and truthfulness of religious identity; imposture undermines dharma.
Application: For ritual hosts and recipients: verify livelihood and authenticity (especially of renunciants); keep food-giving aligned with dharmic trust networks.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Dharma-shastra (Social law: prohibited or censured occupations and imposture)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Didactic montage: blacksmith at forge, Niṣāda hunter with bow in forest, washerman at river, false renunciant with deceptive garb, oilman pressing sesame, and a cook/food-seller—while a teacher warns against accepting their food.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, segmented narrative: forge with glowing coals, forest hunter, river washing scene, faux-sannyāsin with hidden coins, oil-press with bull, marketplace cook; central guru figure with palm-leaf text; traditional floral borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central teacher with gold halo; surrounding occupational emblems rendered iconically (anvil, bow, washing stone, oil press, cooking pot); heavy gold ornamentation and temple arch frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional layout with labeled figures and tools; soft colors, precise detailing of implements (anvil, oil press, cooking vessels).","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, bustling town-and-forest vignettes with fine detail; jurist/teacher in the foreground; artisans and workers depicted in realistic attire and architecture."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चेलनिर्णेजकस्य = चेल + निर्णेजकस्य; मिथ्याप्रव्रजितस्य = मिथ्या + प्रव्रजितस्य; मिथ्याप्रव्रजितस्यान्नम् = ... + अन्नम्; 'अन्नम्पुंश् चल्याः' पाठे सन्धि/पाठभेदः—अत्र अन्नम् + पुंस् इति पृथक्कृतम्, 'चल्याः' रूपे संशयः
Related Themes: Agni Purana 168 (apātra/anna-śuddhi); Agni Purana ācāra sections on varṇa/āśrama conduct
FAQs
It enumerates categories of persons/occupations treated as socially censured in dharma-legal contexts, guiding whom one should avoid in certain dealings (e.g., trust, ritual association, or formal transactions) according to rajadharma norms.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purana compiles practical dharma-shastra material—social classifications, ethics, and governance-related norms—showing its wide coverage of law and public conduct alongside ritual and theology.
The verse frames discernment in association and transactions as a dharmic safeguard: avoiding hypocrisy, deceit, and socially disapproved conduct is presented as supporting purity, trustworthiness, and merit (puṇya) in one’s life and ritual standing.