Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 4
Chapter 363: नृब्रह्मक्षत्रविट्शूद्रवर्गाः
Groups of terms for Men, Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras
वारस्त्री गणिका वेश्या भ्रातृजायास्तु यातरः ननान्दा तु स्वसा पत्युः सपिण्डास्तु सनाभयः
vārastrī gaṇikā veśyā bhrātṛjāyāstu yātaraḥ nanāndā tu svasā patyuḥ sapiṇḍāstu sanābhayaḥ
‘ବାରସ୍ତ୍ରୀ’ ଅର୍ଥ ଗଣିକା/ବେଶ୍ୟା; ‘ଗଣିକା’ ଓ ‘ବେଶ୍ୟା’ ମଧ୍ୟ ସେଇ ଅର୍ଥରେ। ଭାଇର ସ୍ତ୍ରୀ ‘ଯାତରା’। ପତିଙ୍କ ଭଉଣୀ ‘ନନାନ୍ଦା’। ଏକେ ପିଣ୍ଡ-ପରମ୍ପରାର ଲୋକ ‘ସପିଣ୍ଡ’; ଏକେ ନାଭି-ସମ୍ବନ୍ଧ (ଏକେ ଗର୍ଭରେଖା) ଥିବାମାନେ ‘ସନାଭ’।
Lord Agni (in the Agni Purana’s standard narration to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Legal and ritual precision in kinship and social categories: defining courtesan terms and key affinal/agnatic relations (brother’s wife, husband’s sister, sapiṇḍa/sanābha) for marriage rules, inheritance, śrāddha eligibility, and social conduct.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Vārastrī/gaṇikā/veśyā; yātarā; nanāndā; sapiṇḍa & sanābha","lookup_keywords":["veśyā","gaṇikā","nanāndā","sapiṇḍa","sanābha"],"quick_summary":"Supplies compact definitions for courtesan terminology and crucial kinship categories, especially sapiṇḍa/sanābha distinctions used in dharma decisions (marriage prohibitions, rites, and obligations)."}
Concept: Dharma operates through defined relations (bandhutva): rights, prohibitions, and ritual competence depend on kinship classification.
Application: Use sapiṇḍa/sanābha and affinal terms to determine marriage boundaries, śrāddha participants, and social duties.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Smriti-style Definitions (Kinship and Social Categories)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Didactic family-tree scene: a household with labeled relations—brother’s wife (yātarā), husband’s sister (nanāndā)—and a schematic lineage diagram illustrating sapiṇḍa vs sanābha; separate vignette of a courtesan (veśyā/gaṇikā) as a social category.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural with two registers: domestic kinship scene and a stylized lineage diagram, bold outlines, earthy palette; courtesan shown in a separate framed panel with distinctive attire, all with caption bands","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with ornate gold borders, central family group with labels, side medallions for ‘sapiṇḍa’ and ‘sanābha’ as diagrammatic motifs, rich textiles and jewelry detailing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style instructional composition: clean family-tree diagram integrated with small narrative figures, fine linework, readable labels, emphasis on clarity over ornament","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature interior of a household with multiple relatives, marginal genealogical chart, refined costumes; courtesan vignette in a separate cartouche like an album painting"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Resolved: भ्रातृजायास्तु→भ्रातृजायायाः तु; सपिण्डास्तु→सपिण्डाः तु.
Related Themes: Agni Purana dharma chapters on marriage rules and kinship prohibitions (sapiṇḍa-vicāra); Agni Purana nighaṇṭu vargas continuing kinship terminology (ch. 363–364 range)
FAQs
It imparts dharma-śāstra style technical definitions of kinship (yātarā, nanāndā, sapinda, sanābha) and social categories (gaṇikā, veśyā), useful for correctly applying rules of marriage, inheritance, impurity (āśauca), and ritual eligibility.
By cataloging precise legal/semantic definitions—alongside ritual, cosmology, and other sciences—the Agni Purana functions like a reference manual, preserving standardized terminology needed for dharma, social order, and ritual jurisprudence.
Correctly identifying relations and lineage (sapinda/sanābha) supports proper conduct in rites, marriage norms, and purity rules; accurate dharmic categorization is treated as essential for avoiding ritual faults (doṣa) and the karmic consequences of transgression.