Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 31
Yati-dharma
The Dharma of the Renunciate Ascetic
ततो ज्रजेत् नवम्यादौ ह्य् ऋतुसन्धिषु वापयेत् प्रायश्चित्तं यतीनाञ्च ध्यानं वायुयमस् तथा
tato jrajet navamyādau hy ṛtusandhiṣu vāpayet prāyaścittaṃ yatīnāñca dhyānaṃ vāyuyamas tathā
Затем следует приступить к предписанной дисциплине, начиная с девятого лунного дня; и на стыках времён года также надлежит совершать её. Это — искупительное соблюдение (prāyaścitta) для яти (аскетов), вместе с практикой созерцания — также (созерцаниями) Вāю и Ямы.
Lord Agni (in discourse to the sage Vasiṣṭha, as typical for Agni Purāṇa instruction)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Guidance for timing and scope of expiatory observances: begin discipline from Navamī and repeat at ṛtu-sandhi (seasonal junctions); integrate dhyāna practices, including contemplations associated with Vāyu and Yama, especially for yatis.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Prāyaścitta for Yatis at Navamī and Ṛtu-sandhi with Vāyu–Yama Dhyāna","lookup_keywords":["navamī","ṛtu-sandhi","prāyaścitta","yati","vāyu-dhyāna"],"quick_summary":"Sets a schedule for ascetic expiation and discipline—starting on Navamī and at seasonal transitions—paired with meditative contemplations (notably Vāyu and Yama) to restore purity and restraint."}
Concept: Purification through regulated time (kāla-niyama) and dhyāna: aligning conduct with cosmic rhythms (seasons) and inner governance (Vāyu as prāṇa; Yama as ethical restraint).
Application: For ascetics: schedule periodic self-audit and prāyaścitta at Navamī/ṛtu-sandhi; add prāṇāyāma-oriented contemplation (Vāyu) and mortality/ethical vigilance contemplation (Yama) to prevent lapses.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Vrata-Prāyaścitta (Ritual observances, seasonal rites, expiations)
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: bhayānaka
Type: Calendar/Seasonal observance
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An ascetic performs expiation at a seasonal junction: changing sky and flora indicate transition; he meditates on Vāyu as moving breath and on Yama as stern guardian of dharma, with ritual austerities implied.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, yati seated under a tree at twilight of season-change, swirling wind motifs around the chest (Vāyu), distant figure of Yama with pāśa and buffalo silhouette, earthy palette, strong outlines, sacred liminality","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ascetic with prayer beads and water-pot, gold-highlighted symbolic wind spirals, small framed Yama icon at side with ornate border, rich textiles and gold work emphasizing vrata solemnity","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean instructional composition: labels ‘Navamī’ and ‘Ṛtu-sandhi’, ascetic in meditation posture, subtle depiction of breath flow, Yama as a small iconographic inset; fine lines and soft washes","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, ascetic in a garden where one side shows summer foliage and the other autumnal tones (season junction), delicate wind lines, a shadowed Yama figure in the background, refined detailing"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: navamyādau = navamī + ādau; hy = hi (before vowel); ṛtusandhiṣu = ṛtu + sandhiṣu; yatīnāñca = yatīnām + ca. Readings ‘jrajet’, ‘āpayet’ are text-dependent and may reflect pāṭhabheda.
Related Themes: Agni Purana prāyaścitta and vrata sections near 161; Agni Purana dhyāna/nyāsa style contemplations in ritual chapters
FAQs
It gives timing rules for an expiatory observance: begin from Navamī and (also) perform it at ṛtusandhi (seasonal transitions), and it adds dhyāna as an essential component for yatis.
It combines calendrical ritual law (tithi-based and seasonal timing), ascetic discipline (yati-dharma), and deity-centered meditation (Vāyu–Yama dhyāna), showing how the text integrates ritual practice, ethics, and contemplative technique.
By prescribing prāyaścitta at ritually potent times (Navamī and seasonal junctions) and coupling it with dhyāna, the verse frames purification as both external observance and inner transformation, aimed at removing faults and restoring ascetic purity.