Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 19
Mahāpātaka-ādi-kathana
Account of the Great Sins) — concluding note incl. ‘Mārjāra-vadha’ (killing of a cat
जुहुयात्सर्पिषाहुतीरिति ख , ङ , ज च सरां पीत्वा द्विजो मोहादग्निवर्णां सुरां पिवेत् गोमूत्रमग्निवर्णं वा पिवेदुदकमेव वा
juhuyātsarpiṣāhutīriti kha , ṅa , ja ca sarāṃ pītvā dvijo mohādagnivarṇāṃ surāṃ pivet gomūtramagnivarṇaṃ vā pivedudakameva vā
‘ख’, ‘ङ’ आणि ‘ज’ ही अक्षरे उच्चारून तुपाच्या आहुती द्याव्यात। एखादा द्विज मोहाने सरा (किण्वित पेय) प्याला तर अग्निवर्णी सुरा प्यावी; किंवा अग्निवर्णी गोमूत्र; अथवा केवळ पाणी प्यावे।
Lord Agni (in the Agni Purana’s primary narration)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Ritual expiation combining homa with bīja-like syllable recitation and prescribed purificatory drinking for a dvija who consumed prohibited fermented drink; provides graded alternatives (liquor/cow-urine/water) framed as śuddhi.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Śuddhi for drinking sarā: homa with ‘kha–ṅa–ja’ and prescribed drinks","lookup_keywords":["sarā-pāna","surā-pāna","kha ṅa ja","sarpis-āhuti","gomūtra"],"quick_summary":"Perform ghee oblations while reciting ‘kha, ṅa, ja’; for a dvija who drank sarā in delusion, undertake a purificatory regimen—drinking fire-colored liquor, or fire-colored cow’s urine, or only water—indicating escalating gentleness of remedies."}
Concept: Transgression can be mitigated by deliberate corrective action (homa + regulated intake), with intent (mohāt, delusion) influencing remedial framing while still requiring śuddhi.
Application: Combine mantra-led ritual acts with disciplined bodily regimen to re-establish eligibility for rites and social-religious purity.
Khanda Section: Prāyaścitta & Śuddhi-vidhi (Expiations, purification rites, and ritual remedies)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: jugupsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dvija performs a small homa, offering ghee while uttering syllables; nearby are three vessels symbolizing options: reddish liquor, reddish cow-urine, and clear water.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, compact fire-altar with bright flames, priest chanting ‘kha ṅa ja’ indicated by stylized akṣaras in the air, three pots beside him (red, amber, clear), flat color fields and bold outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-highlighted fire and ladle, ornate vessels with distinct colors, akṣara motifs embossed, solemn penitent expression, rich textile borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, didactic composition: labeled syllables near the mouth, stepwise options shown as three neatly arranged cups, clean lines and soft shading, emphasis on procedure.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate indoor ritual scene, detailed metalware and liquids, calligraphic ‘kha ṅa ja’ floating, naturalistic faces, fine flame rendering."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: juhuyāt + sarpiṣāhutīḥ + iti → juhuyātsarpiṣāhutīriti; mohāt + agni-varṇām → mohādagnivarṇām (t → d before vowel); surām + pivet → surāṃ pivet; go-mūtram + agni-varṇam → gomūtramagnivarṇam; pivet + udakam + eva → pivedudakameva (t → d before vowel)
Related Themes: Agni Purana: prāyaścitta for surā-pāna and dvija-śuddhi measures (same sequence); Agni Purana: mantra and homa syllable/akṣara usages in ritual contexts
FAQs
It prescribes a prāyaścitta procedure: offering ghee-oblations with specified phonemic utterances (‘kha’, ‘ṅa’, ‘ja’) and then undertaking a prescribed purificatory intake (fire-coloured surā, or fire-coloured gomūtra, or only water) for a dvija who drank fermented liquor in delusion.
It demonstrates the text’s dharma-śāstra and ritual-technology dimension—detailing concrete expiations, mantra/phoneme-based ritual elements, and graded purification options—alongside the Purana’s many other domains (worship, polity, medicine, arts).
The verse frames intoxication as a polluting act requiring expiation; the fire-offering and prescribed purificatory drinking function as a means to reduce demerit (pāpa), restore ritual eligibility, and re-establish purity (śuddhi) for religious duties.