Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 30
Chapter 370: नरकनिरूपणम्
Naraka-nirūpaṇa) — Description of Hell (with the physiology of dying and the subtle transition
कर्मक्षयात्प्रजायन्ते महापातकिनस्त्विह मृगश्वशूकरोष्ट्राणां ब्रह्महा योनिमृच्छति
karmakṣayātprajāyante mahāpātakinastviha mṛgaśvaśūkaroṣṭrāṇāṃ brahmahā yonimṛcchati
କର୍ମକ୍ଷୟ ଓ ପାପଫଳ ପରିପାକ ହେଲେ ମହାପାତକୀମାନେ ଏଠାରେ ପୁନର୍ଜନ୍ମ ନେନ୍ତି। ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣହନ୍ତା ମୃଗ, ଅଶ୍ୱ, ଶୂକର ଓ ଉଷ୍ଟ୍ର ଯୋନିକୁ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ ହୁଏ।
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana frame: Agni instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Ethical restraint through understanding karmic retribution; used in teaching prāyaścitta and social dharma by linking mahāpātaka to specific rebirth outcomes.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Karmavipāka of Brahmahatyā: Animal wombs","lookup_keywords":["mahāpātaka","brahmahatyā","karmakṣaya","punarjanma","yoni"],"quick_summary":"The verse lists specific animal rebirths as the post-mortem consequence of brahmahatyā when karmic residue fructifies, reinforcing avoidance of great sins and motivating expiation."}
Concept: Karma-vipāka: specific sinful acts condition future embodiment (yoni) until karmic exhaustion (karmakṣaya).
Application: Use as a contemplative check on harmful impulses; supports confession/expiation and non-violence toward brāhmaṇas and all beings.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Prāyaścitta and Karma-vipāka (Sin, expiation, and karmic consequences)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A didactic karmic tableau: a human sinner’s subtle body moving toward successive animal wombs—deer, horse, boar, camel—under the gaze of Dharma/Yama as karmic law.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, flat luminous colors, Yama/Dharma presiding with palm-leaf ledger, a soul-stream shown entering deer, horse, boar, camel womb-symbols, temple-wall narrative composition, traditional ornamentation, minimal perspective.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central seated Dharma/Yama with gold foil halo and embossed ornaments, four surrounding vignettes of deer/horse/boar/camel rebirth, rich reds and greens, decorative borders, icon-like symmetry.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, refined linework and soft shading, instructional panel with labeled animal forms (deer, horse, boar, camel) and a human figure indicating karmic transition, delicate gesso highlights, calm didactic tone.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed naturalistic animals in separate cartouches, a scribe-like Yama recording deeds, subtle landscape, fine brushwork, restrained palette, moral allegory scene."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कर्मक्षयात् = कर्मक्षयात्; महापातकिनस् + तु + इह → महापातकिनस्त्विह; मृगश्वशूकरोष्ट्राणाम् = मृग-श्व-शूकर-उष्ट्राणाम् (द्वन्द्व); योनिम् + ऋच्छति → योनिमृच्छति
Related Themes: Agni Purana 370 (mahāpātaka, naraka-gati, prāyaścitta context)
FAQs
It conveys karma-vipāka doctrine used in Dharma/Prāyaścitta contexts: specific sinful acts (mahāpātakas) are mapped to concrete rebirth outcomes, guiding ethical restraint and motivating expiatory practice.
Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purāṇa also catalogues normative jurisprudence-like material—classifying major sins and their results—functioning as a compact reference on dharma, social ethics, and karmic retribution.
It warns that brahmahatyā is a grave transgression whose karmic residue can force lower births; the implied takeaway is to avoid such harm and to seek purification (prāyaścitta) to prevent degraded rebirth.