Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 14
प्रायश्चित्तानि (Expiations) — Association-Impurity, Purification Rites, and Graded Penance
स्नातकव्रतलोपे च कर्मत्यागे ह्य् अभोजनं हुङ्कारं ब्राह्मणस्योक्त्वा त्वङ्करञ्च गरीयसः
snātakavratalope ca karmatyāge hy abhojanaṃ huṅkāraṃ brāhmaṇasyoktvā tvaṅkarañca garīyasaḥ
Bila seorang snātaka melanggar tata-ikrarannya atau meninggalkan kewajiban ritusnya, penebusannya ialah abhojana (berpuasa). Mengucap “huṅ” kepada seorang brāhmaṇa, dan ucapan yang lebih berat “tvaṅ-kara”, juga menimbulkan cela yang perlu ditebus.
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, as customary in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Specifies faults and expiations for dvijas: fasting for snātaka-vrata lapse or abandonment of obligatory rites; notes verbal offenses involving utterances like 'huṅ' and 'tvaṅ-kara' directed at a brāhmaṇa as requiring expiation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Snātaka-vrata Lapse, Karma-tyāga, and Verbal Offenses: Expiations","lookup_keywords":["snātaka-vrata-lopa","karmatyāga","abhojana","huṅkāra","tvaṅ-kara"],"quick_summary":"A snātaka who breaks observances or neglects duties should fast; certain aggressive/derogatory utterances toward a brāhmaṇa are treated as culpable speech requiring expiation."}
Concept: Dharma is upheld by (1) faithful performance of nitya-karma and (2) ahiṃsā in speech; lapses are corrected through tapas (fasting) and restraint.
Application: Maintain snātaka codes and daily rites; avoid contemptuous speech; if a lapse occurs, adopt fasting and reconciliation to restore harmony.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Prayashchitta (Expiations and conduct for dvijas)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A snātaka in simple attire refrains from eating (abhojana), sits before a small fire-altar or daily-rite setup left unattended as a cautionary symbol, while a scene of improper speech toward a brāhmaṇa is shown as a moral vignette.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, snātaka with water-pot and staff, fasting posture, small ritual space, secondary vignette of speech offense, strong linework, moral didactic tone","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central fasting snātaka with gold halo of restraint, miniature side-panel showing 'huṅ' utterance as dark speech cloud, ornate border, devotional-ethical theme","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear instructional depiction of snātaka markers (yajñopavīta, kamaṇḍalu), empty meal plate indicating fast, calm palette, emphasis on conduct","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly setting where a verbal insult occurs, contrasted with later scene of penitent fasting in a quiet chamber, fine facial expressions and gesture detail"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: snātakavratalope → snātaka-vrata-lope; karmatyāge → karma-tyāge; hy → hi; brāhmaṇasyoktvā → brāhmaṇasya + uktvā; tvaṅkarañca → tvaṅkaram + ca. (Some readings are context-fragmentary; analysis follows given text.)
Related Themes: Agni Purana 170 (snātaka conduct, speech-faults, fasting penances)
FAQs
It prescribes prāyaścitta: fasting (abhojana) as an expiation for lapses in snātaka discipline and for specific verbal offences directed at a brāhmaṇa.
It exemplifies the text’s Dharmaśāstra-like coverage—cataloging concrete offences (vow-lapse, karma-tyāga, abusive utterances) and pairing them with practical atonements, alongside its many other domains.
It frames vow-keeping, performance of obligatory rites, and restraint in speech toward brāhmaṇas as karmically weighty; fasting functions as a purificatory remedy to reduce demerit and restore ritual-moral order.