Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 14
Chapter 166: वर्णधर्मादिकथनं
Exposition of Varṇa-Dharma and Related Topics
अग्न्याधेयमग्निहोत्रं दर्शः स्यात् पशुबन्धकः चातुर्मास्याग्रहायेष्टिर्निरूढः पशुबन्धकः
agnyādheyamagnihotraṃ darśaḥ syāt paśubandhakaḥ cāturmāsyāgrahāyeṣṭirnirūḍhaḥ paśubandhakaḥ
अग्न्याधान और अग्निहोत्र अग्नि-सम्बन्धी कर्म हैं। दर्श-यज्ञ को पशुबन्ध (पशु-आहुति) रूप कहा गया है। चातुर्मास्य, आग्रहायणेष्टि और निरूढ भी पशुबन्ध यज्ञों में ही गिने जाते हैं।
Lord Agni (Agni Purana narrator) addressing sage Vasiṣṭha
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Classify and select Śrauta rites correctly (fire-rites vs paśubandha class) for calendrical and eligibility planning in Vedic ritual performance.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Śrauta-yajña classification: Agnyādhāna–Agnihotra and Paśubandha group","lookup_keywords":["Agnyadhana","Agnihotra","Darsha","Chaturmasya","Pashubandha"],"quick_summary":"Defines key fire-rites and groups Darśa, Cāturmāsya, Āgrahāyaṇeṣṭi, and Nirūḍha under paśubandha-type sacrifices for ritual taxonomy."}
Concept: Ritual knowledge as structured categories (yajña-bheda) enabling correct dharmic performance.
Application: Use the classification to avoid mixing iṣṭi/paśu categories and to plan required implements, priests, and offerings.
Khanda Section: Agneya-vidya (Vedic Yajña and Śrauta Rituals)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A Vedic altar-ground with three sacred fires being established (Agnyādhāna), a householder offering Agnihotra, and a schematic grouping of Darśa/Cāturmāsya/Āgrahāyaṇeṣṭi/Nirūḍha as paśubandha rites with ritual implements and a tethered sacrificial animal shown symbolically.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm earthy palette, stylized yajña-śālā with three fires (gārhapatya, āhavanīya, dakṣiṇa), priests in white, ladles and soma vessels, symbolic paśu near a post, flat decorative borders, sacred geometry motifs","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central sacred fire altar with gold-leaf highlights on vessels and ladles, richly ornamented priests, labeled ritual items (darśa, cāturmāsya, āgrahāyaṇeṣṭi, nirūḍha) in small cartouches, deep red background, embossed gold detailing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, clean linework instructional tableau: three-fire layout diagram, priest performing agnihotra, side panels listing paśubandha-class rites, muted colors, delicate shading, manuscript-like clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed yajña pavilion with attendants, precise rendering of utensils, a calendar scroll indicating seasonal rites, subtle depiction of paśubandha symbolism, fine floral margins, jewel-toned palette"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अग्न्याधेयम्+अग्निहोत्रम् → अग्न्याधेयमग्निहोत्रम्; चातुर्मास्य+आग्रहाय+इष्टिः → चातुर्मास्याग्रहायेष्टिः; इष्टिः+निरूढः → इष्टिर्निरूढः
Related Themes: Agni Purana 166 (Agneya-vidya section on Śrauta classifications)
FAQs
It gives a Śrauta-style classification: it lists key Vedic rites (Agnyādhāna, Agnihotra, Darśa, Cāturmāsya, Āgrahāyaṇeṣṭi, Nirūḍha) and identifies several as belonging to the paśubandha (animal-offering) category.
Rather than narrating mythology, it functions like a ritual manual—cataloguing and grouping Śrauta yajñas by type—showing the Purana’s compendium-style coverage of Vedic liturgy and technical dharma.
By correctly understanding and performing these prescribed yajñas—especially the fire-based rites and properly classified sacrifices—one is said in the broader Vedic-Puranic framework to gain purification, uphold dharma, and accrue ritual merit (puṇya) through sanctioned offerings to Agni and the devas.