Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 63
Srāvādya-śauca
Impurity due to bodily discharge and allied causes
मरणं मरणेनैव सूतकं सूतकेन तु उभयोरपि यत् पूर्वं तेनाशौचेन शुद्ध्यति
maraṇaṃ maraṇenaiva sūtakaṃ sūtakena tu ubhayorapi yat pūrvaṃ tenāśaucena śuddhyati
മരണജന്യ അശൗചം മൃതക-അശൗചകാലം കൊണ്ടുതന്നെ നീങ്ങുന്നു; സൂതകം (ജനനം)ജന്യ അശൗചം സൂതക-കാലം കൊണ്ടുതന്നെ. രണ്ടും വന്നാൽ ആദ്യം ആരംഭിച്ചതായ മുൻ അശൗചം കൊണ്ടുതന്നെ ശുദ്ധി ലഭിക്കുന്നു.
Lord Agni
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Determining which ashaucha (birth/death impurity) period to observe and when one is considered purified, especially when overlapping events occur in a household.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Ashaucha precedence in overlapping mṛtaka and sūtaka","lookup_keywords":["ashaucha","mṛtaka","sūtaka","shuddhi","overlap rule"],"quick_summary":"Death-impurity is removed by completing the death-impurity period; birth-impurity by completing the birth-impurity period. If both arise, the earlier-occurring impurity-period governs purification."}
Concept: Ritual purity is time-bound and rule-governed; when duties conflict, precedence is resolved by temporal priority of the impurity-event.
Application: Householders and officiants decide eligibility for rites (pūjā, śrāddha, saṃskāra) by applying the ‘earlier impurity governs’ rule.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra (Ashaucha & Shaucha—rules of impurity and purification)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A household elder consults a dharma text while family members observe a marked period of ritual restraint; two symbolic markers indicate birth-impurity and death-impurity with the earlier one highlighted.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, interior of a traditional house with lamp and palm-leaf manuscript, family in simple white garments observing ashaucha, symbolic icons for sūtaka and mṛtaka, earthy reds and greens, flat decorative composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central seated dharma-ācārya holding manuscript, gold-leaf accents on borders and lamp, attendants in subdued tones, symbolic calendar/period markers for ashaucha precedence","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional tableau with labeled panels ‘sūtaka’ and ‘mṛtaka’, the earlier panel emphasized, fine linework, soft colors, scholarly setting with manuscript stand","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, domestic courtyard scene with a jurist reading, family observing mourning restraint, delicate architectural details, marginal notes showing ‘earlier impurity governs’"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मरणेनैव = मरणेन + एव; तेनाशौचेन = तेन + अशौचेन; उभयोरपि = उभयोः + अपि
Related Themes: Agni Purana 158 (Ashaucha–Shaucha rules)
FAQs
It gives a procedural rule for āśauca: death-impurity is resolved by observing the death-āśauca, birth-impurity by observing sūtaka; if both arise, the earlier-occurring impurity governs the purification.
It shows the Agni Purana functioning as a dharma reference text by codifying practical household ritual law—handling overlapping contingencies of birth and death impurity—alongside its many other disciplines.
By correctly observing the prescribed āśauca, one restores ritual eligibility (adhikāra) for worship and sacraments, maintaining dharmic order and purity of religious acts.