Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 15
Prāyaścitta — Definitions of Killing, Brahmahatyā, and Graded Expiations
अतिवृद्धामतिकृशामतिबालाञ्च रोगिणीं न संस्कृतिरिति छ बधे ऽस्य तु इति छ हत्वा पूर्वविधानेन चरेदर्धव्रतं द्विजः
ativṛddhāmatikṛśāmatibālāñca rogiṇīṃ na saṃskṛtiriti cha badhe 'sya tu iti cha hatvā pūrvavidhānena caredardhavrataṃ dvijaḥ
अत्यन्त वृद्ध, अत्यन्त कृश, अति बालक या रोगिणी के लिए पूर्ण संस्कार-क्रिया नहीं कही गई है; परन्तु यदि कोई द्विज ऐसे व्यक्ति का वध कर दे, तो पूर्वोक्त विधान के अनुसार उसे अर्ध-व्रत का आचरण प्रायश्चित्त रूप में करना चाहिए।
Lord Agni (teaching sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Ayurveda","practical_application":"Introduces mitigating status for victims lacking full saṃskāra eligibility (very aged, emaciated, very young, diseased) and prescribes reduced expiation (half-vow) for a dvija who kills such a person.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Mitigation: persons without full saṃskāra; ardha-vrata for killing them","lookup_keywords":["ativṛddha","atikṛśa","atibāla","rogiṇī","ardha-vrata"],"quick_summary":"States that for extremely aged/emaciated/very young/diseased persons full saṃskāra is not applicable; if a twice-born kills such a person, expiation is reduced to a half-vow per prior rule."}
Concept: Dharma accounts for human vulnerability and ritual eligibility; expiation is scaled by context and capacity.
Application: In prescribing penance or judging culpability, consider the victim’s and offender’s conditions and apply proportionate, non-destructive austerity.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Prāyaścitta (Expiations and ritual atonements)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A teacher explains reduced expiation (ardha-vrata) while showing four vulnerable figures: extremely aged, emaciated, very young child, and a sick person; a dvija penitent is shown undertaking a moderated vow.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, guru with palm-leaf manuscript, four vulnerable figures in a row (vṛddha, kṛśa, bāla, rogin), dvija penitent with simple attire, warm earthy palette, clear narrative grouping.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, guru and penitent with gold accents, symbolic half-measure motif (half-filled bowl/half-mark), four figures rendered with compassionate expressions, ornate border.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, didactic composition with labeled vulnerable categories and a clear depiction of a ‘half-vow’ regimen (reduced food/ritual), delicate lines and soft shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, scholar in a veranda instructing, realistic portrayal of age and illness, penitent seated with a small ration bowl indicating half-vow, intricate textiles and architecture."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ativṛddhāmatikṛśāmatibālām = ati-vṛddhām + ati-kṛśām + ati-bālām (sandhi/concatenation). badhe 'sya = badhe + asya (avagraha). caredardhavratam = caret + ardha-vratam (t/d sandhi). The two occurrences of “iti ca” reflect quoted textual variants (छ).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 173.11 (mitigation for aged/women/children/sick); Agni Purana 173 (prior rule referenced for expiation scaling)
FAQs
It specifies a prāyaścitta gradation: if a dvija kills a person considered outside full saṃskāra-eligibility due to extreme age, extreme emaciation, very young age, or serious illness, the expiation is reduced to an ardha-vrata (half-vow) following the earlier procedure.
It preserves Dharma-śāstra-style casuistry—fine distinctions in ritual law and penance—showing how the Agni Purana functions as a compendium not only of mythology and worship but also of jurisprudential-ritual norms (prāyaścitta and saṃskāra rules).
It frames killing as karmically polluting yet introduces proportional expiation, aiming at purification and restoration of ritual-spiritual order through a regulated vow (vrata) rather than leaving the act without remedial dharma.