Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 16
Chapter 172 — “Expiations beginning with the Secret
Rites)” (Rahasya-ādi-prāyaścitta
यत् स्वल्पमपि यत् स्थूलं कुयोनिनरकाबहं तद्यातु प्रशमं सर्वं वासुदेवानुकीर्तनात्
yat svalpamapi yat sthūlaṃ kuyoninarakābahaṃ tadyātu praśamaṃ sarvaṃ vāsudevānukīrtanāt
ຈະນ້ອຍນິດກໍຕາມ ຫຼື ໜັກໜ່ວງກໍຕາມ—ກຳໃດທີ່ນຳໄປສູ່ການເກີດອັນທຸກຍາກ ແລະ ນະລົກ—ຂໍໃຫ້ທັງໝົດນັ້ນສົງົບລົງ ແລະ ດັບໄປ ໂດຍການຂັບຂານນາມ “ວາສຸເດວະ” ຊ້ຳໆ।
Lord Agni (traditionally narrating the Agni Purana to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Vāsudeva-nāma-kīrtana as a general expiation for minor and major karmic burdens believed to cause duryoni (wretched birth) and naraka; used as daily kīrtana/japa discipline.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Vāsudeva-nāma-kīrtana as sarva-pāpa-praśamana","lookup_keywords":["Vāsudeva","anu-kīrtana","duryoni","naraka","sarva-pāpa"],"quick_summary":"The verse asserts a broad soteriological claim: chanting Vāsudeva’s name pacifies karmas—small or great—that lead to degraded rebirth and hellish suffering."}
Alamkara Type: Dvandva/antithesis (svalpa vs sthūla)
Concept: Grace-mediated purification: nāma-kīrtana functions as an upāya that quiets karmic seeds (pāpa-bīja-śamana) and redirects destiny.
Application: Establish a fixed count or time for Vāsudeva-japa/kīrtana daily; combine with ethical restraint to avoid re-accumulation.
Khanda Section: Bhakti-yoga / Vishnu-nama-kirtana (Purification through devotion)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A circle of devotees chanting ‘Vāsudeva’ with cymbals and drum; above them, a luminous Viṣṇu/Vāsudeva presence; below, dark motifs of ‘naraka’ and ‘duryoni’ dissolving into light as the chanting rises.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, kīrtana mandali with chenda and tāla, stylized flames of naraka at bottom fading, Vāsudeva above with conch and discus, bold outlines and traditional palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central Vāsudeva with gold foil aura, devotees singing below, gold highlights on instruments, dark lower band symbolizing naraka transforming into lotus motifs.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear narrative: left panel ‘svalpa pāpa’, right panel ‘sthūla pāpa’, both converging into central kīrtana scene; soft colors, didactic captions.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, musical assembly in a garden pavilion, detailed instruments and garments, ethereal divine figure above, symbolic dark cloud at bottom dispersing with sound waves."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यत्स्वल्पमपि = यत् + स्वल्पम् + अपि; कुयोनिनरकाबहं = कुयोनि-नरक-आबहम्; तद्यātu = तत् + यातु; वासुदेवानुकीर्तनात् = वासुदेव + अनुकीर्तनात्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 172 (nāma-kīrtana and prāyaścitta claims)
FAQs
It teaches the practical bhakti-discipline of Vāsudeva-anukīrtana (repeated chanting/praise of Vāsudeva) as a direct remedial practice for pacifying harmful karmic results.
Alongside rites, law, polity, medicine, and arts, the Agni Purana also codifies soteriological methods; here it preserves a concise, actionable doctrine of purification through divine name-chanting.
It asserts that both minor and major karmas that would otherwise produce degraded rebirth or hellish experience can be calmed and neutralized through sustained remembrance and chanting of Vāsudeva.