Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 22
Ācāra
Right Conduct
असन्तर्प्य पितॄन् देवान्नदीपारञ्च न व्रजेत् मलादिप्रक्षिपेन्नाप्सु न नग्नः स्नानमाचरेत्
asantarpya pitṝn devānnadīpārañca na vrajet malādiprakṣipennāpsu na nagnaḥ snānamācaret
Tanpa terlebih dahulu memuaskan para leluhur dan para dewa dengan persembahan, jangan menyeberang ke tepi seberang sungai. Jangan membuang kotoran dan sejenisnya ke dalam air; dan jangan mandi dalam keadaan telanjang.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Vasiṣṭha, as per the predominant Agni Purana narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"River-bathing etiquette: perform pitṛ- and deva-tarpaṇa before crossing/using the river; maintain water hygiene; observe modesty during snāna.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Snāna-vidhi: tarpaṇa, nadī-maryādā, and anagnasnāna","lookup_keywords":["snana-vidhi","tarpana","nadi-maryada","apavitra-ksepa","anagna-snana"],"quick_summary":"Before river rites, satisfy devas and pitṛs through tarpaṇa; do not pollute water; bathe with proper covering as part of śauca and social dharma."}
Concept: Śauca and devapitṛ-ṛṇa (duty to gods and ancestors) precede personal acts like bathing.
Application: Begin daily/occasional snāna with tarpaṇa and maintain environmental/ritual cleanliness.
Khanda Section: Snana-vidhi (Ritual Purity and Bathing Conduct)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: hasya
Type: River
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee at a riverbank performs tarpaṇa to devas and pitṛs, then bathes modestly; nearby, a warning motif shows someone refraining from throwing refuse into the river.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, serene river tīrtha with lotus-filled water, a dhoti-clad devotee offering tarpaṇa with añjali, subtle icon of pitṛs receiving water, emphasis on purity and restraint, earthy reds and greens, flat traditional composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf highlights on river ripples and ritual vessels, devotee with kamaṇḍalu and darbha, small framed divine presence above (Viṣṇu/Devas) blessing the rite, ornate border, devotional clarity","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional depiction of snāna-vidhi: sequence panels—tarpaṇa, entering water, bathing with cloth, prohibition sign for dumping filth—fine linework and soft shading","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed riverbank scene with attendants and ritual implements, naturalistic water texture, the devotee performing tarpaṇa, marginal notes-like visual cues indicating ‘do not pollute’ and ‘no naked bathing’"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: devān + nadīpāram → devān nadīpāram (written devānnadīpāram); prakṣipet + na + apsu → prakṣipet na apsu (written prakṣipennāpsu).
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Snāna-vidhi/Ācāra sections (same adhyāya cluster); Agni Purana: Śrāddha/tarpaṇa-related passages
FAQs
It teaches snāna-vidhi and nadī-ācāra: propitiate Pitṛs and Devas before certain river actions, avoid polluting water, and maintain modest, rule-bound bathing conduct.
Alongside theology and myth, the Agni Purana preserves practical dharma-śāstra style regulations—public hygiene, ritual preliminaries, and behavioral norms—showing its wide coverage of everyday religious life.
Respecting Pitṛs/Devas and keeping waters unpolluted supports ritual purity (śauca) and reduces demerit (pāpa) arising from disrespect to sacred waters and neglect of ancestral/deity obligations.