Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 7
Śāva-āśauca and Sūtikā-śauca: Death/Childbirth Impurity, Preta-śuddhi, and Śrāddha Procedure
Chapter 157
द्वादशाहेने शुद्धिः स्यादतीते वत्सरत्रये गतैः संवत्सरैः षड्भिः शुद्धिर्मासेन कीर्तिता
dvādaśāhene śuddhiḥ syādatīte vatsaratraye gataiḥ saṃvatsaraiḥ ṣaḍbhiḥ śuddhirmāsena kīrtitā
तीन वर्ष बीत जाने पर शुद्धि बारह दिनों में होती है; और छह वर्ष बीत जाने पर शुद्धि एक मास में मानी गई है।
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, per the Agni Purāṇa’s common frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Age-threshold rule for determining śuddhi duration: twelve days after three years; one month after six years (as stated).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Age-threshold śuddhi durations: 3-year and 6-year milestones","lookup_keywords":["śuddhi","dvādaśāha","māsa-śuddhi","three years passed","six years passed"],"quick_summary":"The verse gives milestone-based purification durations: after three years, twelve-day purification; after six years, purification is one month."}
Concept: Graduated dharma: observances scale with life-stage/age markers, reflecting increasing social-ritual integration over time.
Application: Use as a quick decision table for priests/householders when determining the length of post-event restrictions.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra (Ashauca–Shuddhi / Ritual Purification Rules)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A priest explains a simple chart of purification durations keyed to age milestones (three years → twelve days; six years → one month) to a household head in a quiet domestic setting.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, teacher-priest gesturing to a palm-leaf ‘table’ of durations, family listening, lamp-lit veranda, stylized figures and clear symbolic numerals.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold borders framing a ‘dharma chart’, priest and patron seated, emphasis on auspicious order returning after prescribed time.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, crisp instructional diagram integrated into the painting: ‘12 days’ and ‘1 month’ labels, calm faces, fine ornamentation.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, scholar with manuscript and a small calendar folio, patron taking notes, architectural depth, delicate rendering of text objects."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: द्वादशाहेने = द्वादशाहेन; स्यादतीते = स्यात् + अतीते (त् + अ → द); शुद्धिर्मासेन = शुद्धिः + मासेन (ः + म → र्म)
Related Themes: Agni Purana: chapter 157 āśauca-śuddhi sequence (preceding and following verses)
FAQs
It specifies time-based śuddhi (ritual purification) durations—12 days after a three-year lapse, and one month after a six-year lapse—used for determining when a person becomes ritually fit again.
It preserves Dharma-śāstra-like procedural rules on impurity and purification, showing the Agni Purāṇa’s coverage of practical social-religious law alongside theology, ritual, and other sciences.
By observing the stated purification period, one restores ritual eligibility and safeguards karmic and sacramental correctness (adhikāra) for rites, worship, and social-religious duties.