Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 41

Srāvādya-śauca

Impurity due to bodily discharge and allied causes

Devanagari script

त्रिरात्रं तत्र शाशौचं द्वितीये चास्थिसञ्चयं तृतीये तूदकं कार्यं चतुर्थे श्राद्धमाचरेत्

Transliteration

trirātraṃ tatra śāśaucaṃ dvitīye cāsthisañcayaṃ tṛtīye tūdakaṃ kāryaṃ caturthe śrāddhamācaret

Translation

នៅទីនោះ (បន្ទាប់ពីមរណៈ/ការដុតសព) អាសោច (ភាពមិនបរិសុទ្ធតាមពិធី) មានរយៈពេលបីយប់។ ថ្ងៃទីពីរ គួរប្រមូលឆ្អឹង (អស្ថិសញ្ចយ)។ ថ្ងៃទីបី គួរធ្វើពិធីទឹក (ឧទកក្រិយា)។ ថ្ងៃទីបួន គួរធ្វើស្រាទ្ធ (śrāddha)។

Word by Word

• त्रि-रात्रम्: three nights (for three nights)
• त्रि-रात्रम्: कालपरिमाण (Extent of time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास; कालपरिमाण (duration)

• तत्र: there / in that context
• तत्र: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/प्रसङ्ग-अव्यय (locative adverb: ‘there/in that case’)

• शाशौचम्: impurity (mourning impurity)
• शाशौचम्: विधेय/कर्म (Predicative/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाशौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘period of impurity’

• द्वितीये: on the second (day)
• द्वितीये: अधिकरण (Time-locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘on the second (day)’ (locative of time)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अस्थि-सञ्चयम्: collection of bones
• अस्थि-सञ्चयम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + सञ्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—‘collection of bones’; कर्म

• तृतीये: on the third (day)
• तृतीये: अधिकरण (Time-locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; कालाधिकरण

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेष/विरोध (emphatic/adversative)

• उदकम्: water (rite with water)
• उदकम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; here as thing to be done/prepared

• कार्यम्: should be done
• कार्यम्: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (कृदन्त, कृ धातु; ण्यत्/यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय—‘to be done’ (gerundive)

• चतुर्थे: on the fourth (day)
• चतुर्थे: अधिकरण (Time-locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; कालाधिकरण

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• आचरेत्: should perform
• आचरेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘should perform/practice’

Speaker

Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, as typical for Agni Purana narration)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: Ritual site (Śmaśāna/Ghāṭa)

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: cāsthisañcayaṃ = ca + asthi-sañcayam; tūdakaṃ = tu + udakam; śrāddhamācaret = śrāddham + ācaret.

Characters & Entities

• Āśauca
• Asthi-sañcaya
• Udaka-kriyā
• Śrāddha
• Pitṛs (implied)

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It gives a timed sequence of post-cremation rites: three-night āśauca, bone-collection on day two, water-libation rite on day three, and śrāddha on day four.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

By codifying practical dharma-ritual procedure (antyeṣṭi and post-death observances) with a clear day-by-day schedule, it functions like a ritual manual alongside the Purana’s many other technical subjects.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

Following the prescribed āśauca and subsequent rites is held to purify the family and to support the departed’s transition, with śrāddha serving as a merit-bearing offering directed to the ancestor line (pitṛs).