Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 1
Chapter 172 — “Expiations beginning with the Secret
Rites)” (Rahasya-ādi-prāyaścitta
इत्य् आग्नेये महापुरेणे रहस्यादिप्रायश्वित्तं नाम एकसप्तत्यधिकशततमो ऽध्यायः अथ द्विसप्तत्यधिकशततमो ऽध्यायः सर्वपापप्रायश्चित्तानि पुष्कर उवाच परदारपरद्रव्यजीवहिंसादिके यदा प्रवर्तते नृणां चित्तं प्रायश्चित्तं स्तुतिस्तदा
ity āgneye mahāpureṇe rahasyādiprāyaśvittaṃ nāma ekasaptatyadhikaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ atha dvisaptatyadhikaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ sarvapāpaprāyaścittāni puṣkara uvāca paradāraparadravyajīvahiṃsādike yadā pravartate nṛṇāṃ cittaṃ prāyaścittaṃ stutistadā
ഇങ്ങനെ അഗ്നി മഹാപുരാണത്തിലെ ‘രഹസ്യാദി പ്രായശ്ചിത്തം’ എന്ന നൂറ്റി എഴുപത്തിരണ്ടാം അധ്യായം സമാപ്തമായി. ഇനി ‘സർവ്വപാപ പ്രായശ്ചിത്തങ്ങൾ’ എന്ന നൂറ്റി എഴുപത്തിമൂന്നാം അധ്യായം ആരംഭിക്കുന്നു. പുഷ്കരൻ പറഞ്ഞു—പരസ്ത്രീ, പരദ്രവ്യം, ജീവഹിംസ മുതലായവയിലേക്കു മനുഷ്യരുടെ ചിത്തം പ്രവൃത്തമാകുമ്പോൾ പ്രായശ്ചിത്തവും സ്തുതിയും (പ്രാർത്ഥന) ചെയ്യേണ്ടതാണ്.
Puṣkara
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Ethical diagnosis of common transgressions (adultery, theft, violence) and the prescription of prāyaścitta and stuti as corrective measures; also serves as chapter colophon/transition.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Sarvapāpa-prāyaścitta: occasion for expiation when mind turns to strī–dravya–hiṃsā","lookup_keywords":["sarvapapa","prayashchitta","paradara","paradravya","jivahimsa"],"quick_summary":"When the mind inclines toward adultery, theft/appropriation, and violence, one should undertake expiation and penitential praise; the text transitions into a comprehensive catalog of expiations."}
Concept: Sin begins as a mental inclination; correction includes both ritual expiation (karma-level) and stuti (mind/speech-level) to reorient intention.
Application: Treat unethical impulses early: interrupt with confession, devotional recitation, and prescribed corrective acts before they become deeds.
Khanda Section: Prāyaścitta (Expiation) and Dharma-śāstra-oriented Purāṇic Instruction
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Sage Puṣkara addressing listeners, introducing expiations for sins, with symbolic vignettes of the three temptations: another’s spouse, another’s wealth, and violence—then turning to prayer and penance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, seated sage Puṣkara in teaching posture, three small side-panels showing temptation scenes subdued and stylized, then a panel of stuti with folded hands, earthy pigments and solemn tone.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Puṣkara as central teacher with gold halo, ornamental borders, symbolic icons for strī/dravya/hiṃsā (woman silhouette, coin chest, wounded animal) and a prayer scroll labeled stuti.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic composition with Puṣkara pointing to a palm-leaf manuscript titled sarvapāpa-prāyaścitta, neat iconographic symbols for the three sins, calm classroom-like setting.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, scholarly assembly with Puṣkara speaking, marginal illustrations of moral pitfalls, refined architecture and textiles, emphasis on ethical instruction."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ity āgneye = iti āgneye; śatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ = śatatamaḥ adhyāyaḥ; svargakāmo 'ghanaṣṭaye-type sandhi also here in 'dhyāyaḥ. Large line contains colophons and chapter headings; analyzed as continuous padas.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 172 (chapter colophon: rahasyādi-prāyaścitta); Agni Purana 173 (sarvapāpa-prāyaścitta begins; Puṣkara dialogue frame)
FAQs
It introduces the prāyaścitta-vidhi framework: when the mind inclines toward major transgressions (illicit relations, theft, violence), one should undertake prescribed expiations and penitential hymns (stuti) as corrective ritual-ethical practice.
By shifting into a systematic catalog of expiations for diverse sins, it demonstrates the Agni Purāṇa’s dharma-śāstra dimension—covering ethics, social order, and ritual remediation alongside its many other disciplines.
It treats sinful intent and harmful action as karmically weighty and prescribes prāyaścitta and stuti to purify the mind, restrain wrongdoing, and mitigate karmic consequences through repentance and regulated practice.