Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 7
Śāva-āśauca and Sūtikā-śauca: Death/Childbirth Impurity, Preta-śuddhi, and Śrāddha Procedure
Chapter 157
द्वादशाहेने शुद्धिः स्यादतीते वत्सरत्रये गतैः संवत्सरैः षड्भिः शुद्धिर्मासेन कीर्तिता
dvādaśāhene śuddhiḥ syādatīte vatsaratraye gataiḥ saṃvatsaraiḥ ṣaḍbhiḥ śuddhirmāsena kīrtitā
மூன்று ஆண்டுகள் கடந்தால் சுத்தி பன்னிரண்டு நாட்களில் பெறப்படும்; ஆறு ஆண்டுகள் கடந்தால் சுத்தி ஒரு மாதத்தில் நிறைவேறும் என அறிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, per the Agni Purāṇa’s common frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Age-threshold rule for determining śuddhi duration: twelve days after three years; one month after six years (as stated).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Age-threshold śuddhi durations: 3-year and 6-year milestones","lookup_keywords":["śuddhi","dvādaśāha","māsa-śuddhi","three years passed","six years passed"],"quick_summary":"The verse gives milestone-based purification durations: after three years, twelve-day purification; after six years, purification is one month."}
Concept: Graduated dharma: observances scale with life-stage/age markers, reflecting increasing social-ritual integration over time.
Application: Use as a quick decision table for priests/householders when determining the length of post-event restrictions.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra (Ashauca–Shuddhi / Ritual Purification Rules)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A priest explains a simple chart of purification durations keyed to age milestones (three years → twelve days; six years → one month) to a household head in a quiet domestic setting.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, teacher-priest gesturing to a palm-leaf ‘table’ of durations, family listening, lamp-lit veranda, stylized figures and clear symbolic numerals.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold borders framing a ‘dharma chart’, priest and patron seated, emphasis on auspicious order returning after prescribed time.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, crisp instructional diagram integrated into the painting: ‘12 days’ and ‘1 month’ labels, calm faces, fine ornamentation.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, scholar with manuscript and a small calendar folio, patron taking notes, architectural depth, delicate rendering of text objects."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: द्वादशाहेने = द्वादशाहेन; स्यादतीते = स्यात् + अतीते (त् + अ → द); शुद्धिर्मासेन = शुद्धिः + मासेन (ः + म → र्म)
Related Themes: Agni Purana: chapter 157 āśauca-śuddhi sequence (preceding and following verses)
FAQs
It specifies time-based śuddhi (ritual purification) durations—12 days after a three-year lapse, and one month after a six-year lapse—used for determining when a person becomes ritually fit again.
It preserves Dharma-śāstra-like procedural rules on impurity and purification, showing the Agni Purāṇa’s coverage of practical social-religious law alongside theology, ritual, and other sciences.
By observing the stated purification period, one restores ritual eligibility and safeguards karmic and sacramental correctness (adhikāra) for rites, worship, and social-religious duties.