Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 1
प्रायश्चित्तानि (Expiations) — Association-Impurity, Purification Rites, and Graded Penance
इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे प्रायश्चित्तानि नाम एकोनसप्तत्यधिकशततमो ऽध्यायः अथ सप्तत्यधिकशततमो ऽध्यायः प्रायश्चित्तानि पुष्कर उवाच महापापानुयुक्तानां प्रायश्चित्तानि वच्मिते संवत्सरेण पतति पतितेन सहाचरन्
ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe prāyaścittāni nāma ekonasaptatyadhikaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ atha saptatyadhikaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ prāyaścittāni puṣkara uvāca mahāpāpānuyuktānāṃ prāyaścittāni vacmite saṃvatsareṇa patati patitena sahācaran
Demikianlah, dalam Agni Mahāpurāṇa berakhir bab bertajuk “Prāyaścitta (penebusan dosa)”, iaitu bab ke-169. Kini bermula bab ke-170: “Prāyaścitta”. Puṣkara berkata: “Aku akan menyatakan amalan penebusan bagi mereka yang terlibat dalam dosa besar. Sesiapa yang bergaul dengan orang yang jatuh (patita) akan menjadi jatuh dalam tempoh setahun kerana pergaulan itu.”
Puṣkara
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"To define the ethical-ritual risk of patitasaṃsarga (contaminating association) and motivate timely expiation and avoidance of intimate religious/social dealings with the fallen.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Patitasaṃsarga—fall through companionship within a year","lookup_keywords":["prāyaścitta","patita","saṃsarga","mahāpāpa","saṃvatsara"],"quick_summary":"The chapter frames expiations for major sins and states a rule: sustained association with a ‘fallen’ person causes one to become fallen within a year. It functions as a cautionary definition for social and ritual boundaries."}
Concept: Saṅga (association) as a cause of adharmic downfall; purity is preserved by regulated contact and expiation.
Application: Maintain dharmic boundaries in ritual, teaching, and intimacy; if compromised, seek prescribed prāyaścitta promptly.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Prāyaścitta (Expiations and Purificatory Rites)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Sage Puṣkara instructs an assembly on expiations; a symbolic depiction of a person turning away from a ‘fallen’ companion as a warning about moral contagion over a year.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, Puṣkara rishi seated on a lotus mat in a forest āśrama, palm-leaf manuscript in hand, disciples listening; muted earth pigments, stylized eyes, dharma teaching scene about prāyaścitta and patitasaṃsarga.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Puṣkara as a radiant rishi with gold halo, ornate borders, disciples in reverent posture; symbolic vignette of a calendar/year wheel indicating ‘saṃvatsara’ and a figure stepping back from bad company; rich reds and gold leaf.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean linework and soft shading; instructional tableau with Puṣkara pointing to a written rule ‘saṃvatsareṇa patati’; calm classroom-like āśrama setting.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly assembly of scholars with Puṣkara delivering a legal-ritual pronouncement; fine textiles, detailed faces; marginal illustration of two men, one marked ‘patita’, emphasizing avoidance over time."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ity āgneye → iti āgneye; ekonasaptatyadhikaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ → ekona-saptati-adhika-śatatamaḥ adhyāyaḥ; saptatyadhikaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ → saptati-adhika-śatatamaḥ adhyāyaḥ; vacmite → vacmi te; sahācaran → saha ācaran.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Prāyaścitta-prakaraṇa (surrounding chapters on expiations and śauca); Agni Purana: Śrāddha/aśauca sections (for impurity rules)
FAQs
It introduces prāyaścitta-vidhi (expiatory discipline) and states a practical dharma-rule: prolonged association with a patita (religiously fallen person) causes one’s own fall within a year.
Beyond mythic narration, it functions like a Dharmaśāstra digest—cataloging social-ethical rules and remedial rites (prāyaścitta), showing the Agni Purāṇa’s coverage of law, conduct, and ritual purification.
It emphasizes saṅga (company) as karmically contagious: sustained companionship with the fallen degrades one’s own dharmic standing, motivating careful association and timely purification.