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Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 23

प्रायश्चित्तानि (Expiations) — Association-Impurity, Purification Rites, and Graded Penance

भुक्त्वापीत्वा तथा तेषां षड्रात्रेण विशुद्ध्यति अन्त्यानां भुक्तशेषन्तु भक्षयित्वा द्विजातयः

bhuktvāpītvā tathā teṣāṃ ṣaḍrātreṇa viśuddhyati antyānāṃ bhuktaśeṣantu bhakṣayitvā dvijātayaḥ

Setelah makan atau minum sesuatu yang berkaitan dengan mereka, seseorang menjadi suci selepas enam malam. Namun jika golongan dvija memakan sisa makanan yang telah dimakan oleh para antya (golongan paling bawah), itu suatu pelanggaran yang lebih berat dan memerlukan penyucian menurut ketetapan penebusan.

भुक्त्वाhaving eaten
भुक्त्वा:
Kriyā (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभुज् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having eaten)
पीत्वाhaving drunk
पीत्वा:
Kriyā (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootपा (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having drunk)
तथाthus
तथा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formरीत्यर्थक अव्यय (adverb: thus/in that manner)
तेषाम्of them
तेषाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (pl.)
षड्रात्रेणby (observing) six nights
षड्रात्रेण:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootषड्रात्र (प्रातिपदिक; षट् + रात्र)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut.), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (sg.)
विशुद्ध्यतिbecomes purified
विशुद्ध्यति:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवि+शुध् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (sg.), आत्मनेपद
अन्त्यानाम्of the outcastes/last classes
अन्त्यानाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootअन्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masc.) (collective), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (pl.)
भुक्तशेषम्leftover food (after eating)
भुक्तशेषम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootभुक्त + शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut.), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (sg.)
तुbut
तु:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formविरोध/विशेषणार्थक निपात (but/indeed)
भक्षयित्वाhaving consumed
भक्षयित्वा:
Kriyā (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभक्ष् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having eaten/consumed)
द्विजातयःthe twice-born people
द्विजातयः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विजाति (प्रातिपदिक; द्वि + जाति)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masc.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन (pl.)

Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, as typical for Agni Purāṇa’s instructional chapters)

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Sets a time-bound purification (six nights) after consuming food/drink associated with censured groups; flags consumption of leftovers of antyas as a graver breach needing stricter handling.","sutra_style":true}

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Ṣaḍrātra-śuddhi after eating/drinking; gravity of antya-ucchiṣṭa","lookup_keywords":["ṣaḍrātra","ucchiṣṭa","antya","aśauca","śuddhi-kāla"],"quick_summary":"Purification after eating/drinking associated with them is achieved in six nights; consuming the leftovers (ucchiṣṭa) of antyas is treated as a more serious transgression requiring heavier expiation per rule."}

Concept: Purity is regulated by time (kāla-śuddhi) and by the nature of intake (ucchiṣṭa as higher doṣa).

Application: Maintain food-boundary discipline in shared meals; if breached, observe the prescribed waiting/penance period before resuming rites.

Khanda Section: Dharma-śāstra / Śauca-Āśauca (Purification rules and social/ritual conduct)

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A communal meal scene where a dvija mistakenly eats/drinks associated food; a six-night purification period is symbolized; a separate cautionary vignette shows leftover consumption as severe.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, dining scene with banana leaves, then a sequence of six night-sky panels with stars, penitent bathing at dawn, restrained palette and iconic figures","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, ornate dining setup with gold accents, then a framed row of six moonlit nights above, central figure in purification posture, temple-like border","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional storyboard: ‘eat/drink’ leading to ‘six nights’ with numbered panels; separate panel warning against ucchiṣṭa, fine lines and soft washes","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed feast and household interior, then calendar-like depiction of six nights, realistic utensils and textiles, moral narrative tone"}

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Khamaj","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}

Sandhi Resolution Notes: भुक्त्वापीत्वा = भुक्त्वा + पीत्वा; भुक्तशेषन्तु = भुक्तशेषम् + तु. द्विजातयः taken as nominative plural of द्विजाति (m.).

Related Themes: Agni Purana 170 (food-contact impurities)

D
Dvijāti (twice-born)
A
Antya (lowest social category)

FAQs

It gives a śauca (purification) time-rule: after consuming food/drink connected with certain persons, purification is attained after six nights, and it flags consumption of antya-leftovers by dvijātis as a more serious breach requiring expiation per dharma codes.

Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purāṇa also preserves dharmaśāstra-like practical regulations—here, detailed rules about food-contact, social boundaries, and ritual purity—showing its wide-ranging, handbook-style scope.

The verse frames food-sharing and leftovers as karmically and ritually consequential; observing prescribed purification protects sacramental purity (especially for dvijātis) and is treated as necessary to restore eligibility for rites and religious acts.