Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 13
प्रायश्चित्तानि (Expiations) — Association-Impurity, Purification Rites, and Graded Penance
श्वशृगालखरैर् दष्टो ग्राम्यैः क्रव्याद्भिरेव च नरोष्ट्राश्वैर् वराहैश् च प्राणायामेन शुद्ध्यति
śvaśṛgālakharair daṣṭo grāmyaiḥ kravyādbhireva ca naroṣṭrāśvair varāhaiś ca prāṇāyāmena śuddhyati
Seseorang yang digigit anjing, serigala hutan, atau keldai—oleh haiwan peliharaan dan juga oleh makhluk pemakan daging—serta digigit manusia, unta, kuda, dan babi hutan, menjadi suci melalui amalan prāṇāyāma (pengawalan nafas).
Lord Agni (narrating purificatory rules within the Agni Purana’s instructional discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Provides a purification/śuddhi measure after animal/human bites and contact with impure creatures: prāṇāyāma as a remedial rite for restoring ritual purity and mental steadiness.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Prāṇāyāma Śuddhi for Bites by Animals and Impure Creatures","lookup_keywords":["daṣṭa","śva","śṛgāla","kravyāda","prāṇāyāma"],"quick_summary":"After being bitten by various animals (including those deemed impure), purification is achieved through disciplined prāṇāyāma."}
Concept: Breath-discipline (prāṇāyāma) functions as inner purification, restoring composure and ritual fitness after disturbing contact.
Application: Use regulated breathing to stabilize mind and re-enter daily rites after shocks/impure contact; integrate with hygiene and medical prudence.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda / Chikitsa (Purification and remedial rites for bites and contamination)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A man with a bandaged bite wound sits in a clean spot performing prāṇāyāma—straight spine, controlled breath—while nearby are depicted the animals listed (dog, jackal, donkey, camel, horse, boar) as symbolic causes of impurity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, central yogic figure in prāṇāyāma, surrounding ring of animals in stylized forms, temple-pond nearby for cleansing, earthy reds/ochres, serene purification aura","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, seated practitioner with gold aura, animals rendered as small vignettes around, ornate border, emphasis on sacred purification through breath","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional posture depiction (āsana, hand position), minimal background, labeled animals in margins, soft pastel palette, clear didactic focus","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, realistic animals at a respectful distance, man seated on a mat in a garden courtyard, fine textile detail, subtle depiction of breath as faint flowing lines"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shuddha Sarang","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: śvaśṛgālakharair → śva-śṛgāla-kharaiḥ; kravyādbhireva → kravyādbhiḥ + eva; naroṣṭrāśvair → nara-uṣṭra-aśvaiḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 170 (śuddhi for contacts, impurities, and remedial acts)
FAQs
It prescribes prāṇāyāma as a prāyaścitta/śuddhi measure for regaining purity after being bitten by various animals (and even certain human/animal contacts), indicating a yogic-ritual method rather than a pharmacological remedy.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana catalogs practical norms—public hygiene, contamination, and expiations—integrating yoga (prāṇāyāma) into applied rules for everyday contingencies like bites from domestic or carrion-eating animals.
Prāṇāyāma is presented as a purifier that removes the impurity (aśauca/doṣa) incurred from such contact, restoring eligibility for ritual acts and reinforcing disciplined self-regulation as a means of expiation.