Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 12
Chapter 228 — स्वप्नाध्यायः
Svapnādhāyaḥ / Chapter on Dreams
गृहाणाञ्चैव पतनं गृहसम्मार्जनन्तथा क्रीडा पिशाचक्रव्यादवानरान्त्यनरैर् अपि
gṛhāṇāñcaiva patanaṃ gṛhasammārjanantathā krīḍā piśācakravyādavānarāntyanarair api
വീടുകളുടെ തകർച്ച, വീടിന്റെ തൂത്തുവാരൽ‑ശുചീകരണം, കൂടാതെ കളിയായി നടക്കുന്ന ഉപദ്രവങ്ങൾ—ഇവ പിശാചുകൾ, മാംസഭക്ഷക സത്തകൾ, ആദകൾ, കുരങ്ങുകൾ, നീച/വൈരികളായ മനുഷ്യർ എന്നിവരാൽ പോലും സംഭവിക്കുന്നു।
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha, the standard Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Diagnosing bhūta-doṣa/āgantuka disturbances in a household by recognizing characteristic signs (structural mishaps, inexplicable mess, prank-like phenomena) and distinguishing them from human/animal causes before applying protective rites.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Bhūta-bādhā-lakṣaṇa in gṛha (household disturbances)","lookup_keywords":["bhūta-vidyā","piśāca","gṛha-patana","gṛha-sammārjana","āgantuka-bādhā"],"quick_summary":"House-collapse, uncanny sweeping/soiling, and prank-like disturbances are listed as signs of harmful agencies—ranging from piśācas and other beings to monkeys and hostile men—guiding practical discrimination of causes."}
Concept: Āgantuka (external) harms can manifest as environmental/household anomalies; discernment of causality is part of protection.
Application: Use listed signs as a diagnostic checklist before ritual/medical countermeasures.
Khanda Section: Bhūta-vidyā / Apamārga-kriyā (Protection from spirits, omens, and harmful beings)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A domestic courtyard where a wall has cracked or collapsed; swept patterns appear mysteriously; shadowy piśāca-like figures lurk while monkeys and rough men create mischief—suggesting mixed supernatural and mundane causes.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, earthy reds and greens, a traditional house with a collapsed corner, faint piśāca silhouettes with exaggerated eyes in the background, monkeys on the roof scattering objects, ritual-protective motifs at the doorway, flat iconic composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ornate household threshold with gold-leaf highlights, symbolic piśāca figures rendered as dark attendants, monkeys and a hostile man shown in profile, emphasis on auspicious/inauspicious contrast with rich decorative borders","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, detailed domestic interior with careful linework, depiction of swept floor patterns and disturbed household items, subtle ghostly presence indicated by translucent forms, calm explanatory tableau","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, architectural house façade with a broken wall, lively monkeys and men causing chaos, faint supernatural figures in the shadows, fine brushwork and narrative realism"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गृहाणाञ्चैव = गृहाणाम् + च + एव; गृहसम्मार्जनन्तथा = गृहसम्मार्जनम् + तथा; पिशाचक्रव्यादवानरान्त्यनरैरपि = (पिशाच-क्र-व्याद-वानर-अन्त्य) + नरैः + अपि (compound segmentation partly uncertain due to rare/unclear members).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Bhūta-vidyā / Apamārga-kriyā section (surrounding verses in adhyāya 228)
FAQs
It lists diagnostic signs/disturbances (house-collapse, unusual sweeping/house-cleaning activity, mischief) attributed to piśācas and other harm-causing agents—used in Bhūta-vidyā to identify an affliction and decide protective rites.
Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purāṇa catalogs practical knowledge such as omen-reading and spirit-affliction diagnostics, integrating folklore, social threats, and protective religion into a single reference work.
Recognizing such disturbances as adharma-driven harm (from spirits or hostile persons) supports timely purification and protective practice, aiming to restore śānti (peace) and prevent further negative karmic consequences in the household.