Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 10
प्रायश्चित्तानि (Expiations) — Association-Impurity, Purification Rites, and Graded Penance
जपित्वा त्रीणि सावित्र्याः सहस्त्राणि समाहितः मासङ्गोष्ठे पयः पीत्वा मुच्यते ऽसत्प्रतिग्रहात्
japitvā trīṇi sāvitryāḥ sahastrāṇi samāhitaḥ māsaṅgoṣṭhe payaḥ pītvā mucyate 'satpratigrahāt
心を統一してサーヴィトリー（ガーヤトリー）を三千遍ジャパ（japa）し、牛たちと共に（牛舎にて）一か月のあいだ乳を飲むならば、不当な施与を受け取る罪（asat-pratigraha）から解放される。
Lord Agni (in dialogue tradition of the Agni Purana, instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Provides a concrete expiation for asat-pratigraha (accepting improper gifts): 3000 Sāvitrī japa with concentration plus a month-long milk regimen in a cowshed—usable as a prescriptive penance schedule.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Asat-pratigraha prāyaścitta: 3000 Sāvitrī-japa and goṣṭha milk regimen","lookup_keywords":["asat-pratigraha","Sāvitrī-japa","tri-sahasra","goṣṭha","payaḥ-vrata"],"quick_summary":"To remove the fault of improper gift-acceptance, perform 3000 Sāvitrī repetitions with focus and observe a month of drinking milk while staying in/with the cowshed environment."}
Concept: Ethical fault (mis-receiving gifts) is countered by disciplined speech-mind practice (mantra-japa) and regulated living/diet (vrata).
Application: Adopt a time-bound penance combining mantra count (3000) with a simple sattvic regimen (milk for a month) to cultivate restraint and ritual purification.
Khanda Section: Prayashchitta (Expiation) and Dana-Niyama (Rules of Gifts/Receiving)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Type: Samanya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A penitent sits in a cowshed area, calmly performing japa with focused mind; nearby cows are tended; he drinks measured milk daily for a month as part of expiation for improper gift-acceptance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: cowshed scene with stylized cows, penitent seated on simple mat doing japa with mālā, a vessel of milk beside him, earthy tones, serene austerity.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central penitent with gold-highlighted mālā and milk vessel, sacred aura around cows, ornate border, emphasis on purity and restraint.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional depiction—counted japa (3000) indicated by beads, calendar-like month regimen, penitent in goṣṭha setting with clean linework and soft shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: detailed rural cowshed with attendants milking, penitent scholar reciting softly, naturalistic cows, delicate architecture and landscape, subdued contemplative palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मासङ्गोष्ठे → मास-गोष्ठे (अत्र ‘ङ्’ अनुस्वार/परसवर्ण-लिप्यन्तर); मुच्यते ऽसत्प्रतिग्रहात् → मुच्यते + असत्-प्रतिग्रहात्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: mantra sections on Sāvitrī/Gāyatrī japa counts; Agni Purana: prāyaścitta-khaṇḍa on pratigraha faults and remedies; Agni Purana: go-dāna/go-sevā related merit discussions
FAQs
It prescribes a specific prāyaścitta: 3,000 recitations of the Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī) with mental concentration, combined with a month-long observance of drinking milk while staying among cows (goṣṭha), to neutralize the impurity of asat-pratigraha (improper acceptance of gifts).
By documenting a concrete, procedural expiation that blends mantra-practice (japa) with a regulated vow (dietary and place-based observance), it exemplifies the Agni Purana’s catalog-like coverage of dharma topics—especially dana-nīti (ethics of giving/receiving) and ritual remedies for moral-ritual transgressions.
The verse frames improper acceptance of gifts as a binding fault and teaches that disciplined japa plus a purifying cow-associated vow can remove that karmic taint, restoring ritual purity and ethical standing.