Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 12
Chapter 228 — स्वप्नाध्यायः
Svapnādhāyaḥ / Chapter on Dreams
गृहाणाञ्चैव पतनं गृहसम्मार्जनन्तथा क्रीडा पिशाचक्रव्यादवानरान्त्यनरैर् अपि
gṛhāṇāñcaiva patanaṃ gṛhasammārjanantathā krīḍā piśācakravyādavānarāntyanarair api
வீடுகள் இடிந்து விழுதல், வீட்டைத் துடைத்து சுத்தம் செய்தல், மேலும் விளையாட்டுப் போல் நிகழும் குறும்புத் தொல்லைகள்—இவை பிசாசுகள், மாமிசம் உண்ணும் உயிர்கள், ஆதர்கள், குரங்குகள், மற்றும் தாழ்ந்த/விரோத மனிதர்களாலும் ஏற்படுகின்றன।
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha, the standard Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Diagnosing bhūta-doṣa/āgantuka disturbances in a household by recognizing characteristic signs (structural mishaps, inexplicable mess, prank-like phenomena) and distinguishing them from human/animal causes before applying protective rites.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Bhūta-bādhā-lakṣaṇa in gṛha (household disturbances)","lookup_keywords":["bhūta-vidyā","piśāca","gṛha-patana","gṛha-sammārjana","āgantuka-bādhā"],"quick_summary":"House-collapse, uncanny sweeping/soiling, and prank-like disturbances are listed as signs of harmful agencies—ranging from piśācas and other beings to monkeys and hostile men—guiding practical discrimination of causes."}
Concept: Āgantuka (external) harms can manifest as environmental/household anomalies; discernment of causality is part of protection.
Application: Use listed signs as a diagnostic checklist before ritual/medical countermeasures.
Khanda Section: Bhūta-vidyā / Apamārga-kriyā (Protection from spirits, omens, and harmful beings)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A domestic courtyard where a wall has cracked or collapsed; swept patterns appear mysteriously; shadowy piśāca-like figures lurk while monkeys and rough men create mischief—suggesting mixed supernatural and mundane causes.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, earthy reds and greens, a traditional house with a collapsed corner, faint piśāca silhouettes with exaggerated eyes in the background, monkeys on the roof scattering objects, ritual-protective motifs at the doorway, flat iconic composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ornate household threshold with gold-leaf highlights, symbolic piśāca figures rendered as dark attendants, monkeys and a hostile man shown in profile, emphasis on auspicious/inauspicious contrast with rich decorative borders","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, detailed domestic interior with careful linework, depiction of swept floor patterns and disturbed household items, subtle ghostly presence indicated by translucent forms, calm explanatory tableau","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, architectural house façade with a broken wall, lively monkeys and men causing chaos, faint supernatural figures in the shadows, fine brushwork and narrative realism"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गृहाणाञ्चैव = गृहाणाम् + च + एव; गृहसम्मार्जनन्तथा = गृहसम्मार्जनम् + तथा; पिशाचक्रव्यादवानरान्त्यनरैरपि = (पिशाच-क्र-व्याद-वानर-अन्त्य) + नरैः + अपि (compound segmentation partly uncertain due to rare/unclear members).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Bhūta-vidyā / Apamārga-kriyā section (surrounding verses in adhyāya 228)
FAQs
It lists diagnostic signs/disturbances (house-collapse, unusual sweeping/house-cleaning activity, mischief) attributed to piśācas and other harm-causing agents—used in Bhūta-vidyā to identify an affliction and decide protective rites.
Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purāṇa catalogs practical knowledge such as omen-reading and spirit-affliction diagnostics, integrating folklore, social threats, and protective religion into a single reference work.
Recognizing such disturbances as adharma-driven harm (from spirits or hostile persons) supports timely purification and protective practice, aiming to restore śānti (peace) and prevent further negative karmic consequences in the household.