Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 15
Srāvādya-śauca
Impurity due to bodily discharge and allied causes
दासान्तेवासिभृतकाः शिष्याश् चैवात्र वासिनः स्वामितुल्यमशौचं स्यान्मृते पृथक् पृथग्भवेत्
dāsāntevāsibhṛtakāḥ śiṣyāś caivātra vāsinaḥ svāmitulyamaśaucaṃ syānmṛte pṛthak pṛthagbhavet
สำหรับคนรับใช้ อันเตวาสิน (ศิษย์ที่พำนักในเรือน) คนงานรับจ้าง และศิษย์ที่อาศัยอยู่ที่นี่: เมื่อเจ้านายตาย ระยะอศौจของเขาย่อมเท่ากับของเจ้านาย; แต่เมื่อผู้ใดในหมู่เขาตาย อศौจย่อมถือแยกกันไปตามความสัมพันธ์ของแต่ละคน.
Lord Agni (narrating dharma instructions in the Agni Purana)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Determining aśauca obligations for dependents and residents (servants, students, hired workers, disciples) relative to the master’s death versus their own deaths.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Rule","entry_title":"Aśauca for dependents: master’s death vs individual death","lookup_keywords":["dāsa","antevāsin","bhṛtaka","śiṣya","svāmi aśauca"],"quick_summary":"When the master dies, resident dependents share the master’s aśauca; when a dependent dies, impurity is observed separately by each household/party according to their own relation."}
Concept: Household dharma treats the household as a ritual unit under the master, yet preserves individual relational accounting when a dependent dies.
Application: In estate/āśrama settings, apply shared aśauca on the master’s death; otherwise compute each person’s aśauca independently when a dependent dies.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Ashauca-vidhi (Impurity rules after death)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A large household/āśrama: master’s bier and mourners including servants and resident students observing the same restrictions; a second vignette shows a servant’s death with separate observances by different groups.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural with two-panel narrative: left panel master’s death with all residents in aśauca; right panel dependent’s death with smaller separate groups, subdued colors, clear storytelling bands.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central master figure indicated symbolically (empty seat/garland), attendants and students in simple attire, gold border; inset showing separate rites for a dependent’s death.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style instructional split-scene, labels for dāsa/antevāsin/bhṛtaka/śiṣya, arrows indicating ‘same as master’ vs ‘separate’, manuscript aesthetic.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a noble household courtyard, attendants and pupils gathered, careful depiction of hierarchy; second scene with smaller funeral group, emphasis on social structure."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शिष्याः + च + एव + अत्र → शिष्याश् चैवात्र (विसर्ग + च → श्; च + एव → चैव; एव + अत्र → एवात्र). स्वामितुल्यम् + अशौचम् → स्वामितुल्यमशौचम् (म् + अ → म). स्यात् + मृते → स्यान्मृते (त् + म → न्म्). पृथक् + पृथक् + भवेत् → पृथक् पृथग्भवेत् (क् + भ → ग्भ्).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 158 (household aśauca rules)
FAQs
It specifies how aśauca (ritual impurity after death) applies to dependents in a household—servants, resident students, hired workers, and disciples—distinguishing impurity when the master dies versus when a dependent dies.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purana compiles practical dharma norms (social-ritual law). This verse functions like a dharma-shastra rule, mapping purity regulations onto household roles and institutional living arrangements.
Observing aśauca correctly safeguards ritual eligibility and reinforces dharmic order—honoring the dead, maintaining communal purity boundaries, and preventing improper performance of rites during periods of impurity.