Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 12
Chapter 168 — महापातकादिकथनम्
Exposition of Great Sins and Related Topics
मृतपञ्चनखात् कूपादमेध्येन सकृद्युतात् गणानां गणिकानाञ्चेति ङ , ञ च चौरदाम्भिकयोस्तथेति ञ अपः पीत्वा त्र्यहं तिष्ठेत् सोपवासो द्विजोत्तमः
mṛtapañcanakhāt kūpādamedhyena sakṛdyutāt gaṇānāṃ gaṇikānāñceti ṅa , ña ca cauradāmbhikayostatheti ña apaḥ pītvā tryahaṃ tiṣṭhet sopavāso dvijottamaḥ
ఒక బావి ఒక్కసారైనా అపవిత్ర కారణంతో కలుషితమైతే—ఐదు గోళ్లున్న మృత జంతువు వల్ల గానీ, బహిష్కృత గుంపులు మరియు గణికలు, లేదా దొంగలు మరియు దంభులు వంటి అపవిత్రులతో సంబంధం వల్ల గానీ—శ్రేష్ఠ ద్విజుడు శుద్ధి నిమిత్తం నీరు త్రాగి ఉపవాసంతో మూడు రోజులు (మూడు రాత్రులు) ఉండాలి.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purana’s instructional narration)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Public hygiene and ritual safety for water sources: identifies well-contamination by impure contact and prescribes a three-day fast with purificatory water-drinking for dvijas.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Well taint (kūpa-doṣa) and three-day fasting purification","lookup_keywords":["kūpa-śuddhi","pañcanakha-mṛta","amedhya","apāṃ-pāna","trirātra-upavāsa"],"quick_summary":"If a well is tainted even once by impure sources (carcass of a five-nailed animal or contact with impure persons such as outcaste groups, courtesans, thieves, deceivers), a twice-born should drink water as a purificatory act and fast for three days."}
Concept: Shared resources carry shared responsibility; impurity in common water requires disciplined remediation.
Application: Institute community rules for protecting wells; upon contamination, suspend use and perform prescribed purification/fasting observances for ritual restoration.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Shauca-prayashchitta (Purification and expiation rules)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A village well is shown contaminated (symbolically) by an impure carcass/association; a dvija performs purificatory water-drinking and observes a three-day fast beside the well, with community members keeping distance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural; central stone well with lotus motifs; symbolic depiction of contamination (darkened water, small carcass icon at edge) and community caution; dvija seated with kamaṇḍalu drinking water, then fasting; flat stylization and ornate borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold; well rendered as a sacred object with gold highlights; dvija with kamaṇḍalu and fasting posture; surrounding figures (courtesans/thieves) shown as symbolic silhouettes at a distance; rich ornamentation but clear narrative.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, technical clarity; labeled diagram of well contamination sources (pañcanakha-mṛta, amedhya-saṅga); sequence frames: water-drinking rite, then three-day upavāsa; fine linework and soft colors.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature; detailed village courtyard with well; subtle depiction of contamination event; scholar-priest drinks from a small vessel and sits fasting; attendants keep the area cordoned; delicate architecture and textiles."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Malkauns","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कूपादमेध्येन = कूपात् + अमेध्येन; सकृद्युतात् = सकृत् + युतात्; गणिकानाञ्चेति = गणिकानाम् + च + इति; चौरदाम्भिकयोः = चौरयोः + दाम्भिकयोः; त्र्यहं = त्रि-अहम् (द्विगु); सोपवासो = सः + उपवासः. Note: IAST includes editorial markers (ṅa/ña) which are not lexical padas; omitted from pada list.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 168 (water/food purity and trirātra prāyaścitta)
FAQs
It prescribes a specific prāyaścitta: when a well is defiled by impure contact, a dvija performs purification by drinking water and observing a three-day fast.
Alongside theology and myth, the Agni Purana preserves practical dharma-shāstra material—detailed rules for public hygiene, ritual purity, and expiation connected to communal resources like wells.
The three-day fast functions as expiation for contact with impurity, restoring ritual fitness (śuddhi) and reducing the karmic fault associated with defilement.