Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 6
प्रायश्चित्तानि (Expiations) — Association-Impurity, Purification Rites, and Graded Penance
ज्येष्ठांशम्प्राप्नुयाच्चास्य यवीयान् गुणतो ऽधिकः महापापोपपन्नानामिति ङ प्रायश्चित्तं वदामि त इति झ प्रेतवत् सदेति ख , ग , घ , ङ च प्रायश्चित्ते तु चरिते पूर्णं कुम्भमपां नवं
jyeṣṭhāṃśamprāpnuyāccāsya yavīyān guṇato 'dhikaḥ mahāpāpopapannānāmiti ṅa prāyaścittaṃ vadāmi ta iti jha pretavat sadeti kha , ga , gha , ṅa ca prāyaścitte tu carite pūrṇaṃ kumbhamapāṃ navaṃ
ในกรณีนี้ ผู้น้องหรือญาติที่อ่อนวัยกว่าแต่สูงกว่าในคุณธรรม (คุณะ) พึงได้รับส่วนของผู้พี่. สำหรับผู้ที่มัวหมองด้วยบาปใหญ่—ตามคัมภีร์บางสำนวน—เราจักกล่าวพิธีไถ่บาป (ปรายัศจิตตะ). บางฉบับอ่านว่า “พึงถือว่าเป็นดุจเปรต (ภาวะไม่บริสุทธิ์)”. เมื่อประกอบปรายัศจิตตะแล้ว พึงถวายหม้อน้ำใหม่ที่เต็มบริบูรณ์.
Lord Agni (narrating Agni Purana teachings to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the standard frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Guides expiation protocol for mahāpātaka-tainted persons, including social treatment during impurity and the concluding rite (new full water-pot offering).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Mahāpāpa-prāyaścitta: preta-vat vyavahāra and pūrṇa-kumbha conclusion","lookup_keywords":["mahāpāpa","prāyaścitta","preta-vat","pūrṇa-kumbha","apāṃ kumbha"],"quick_summary":"For grave sin, the text indicates a prāyaścitta with a period of treated-impurity (preta-like status in some recensions) and a concluding act involving a new, full water-pot."}
Concept: Pāpa is remediable through prescribed expiation and regulated social-ritual reintegration; textual variants (preta-vat) indicate stricter impurity-handling in some recensions.
Application: Apply the appropriate prāyaścitta steps and complete with a symbolic purification gift/rite (new full water-pot) to mark closure and restoration.
Khanda Section: Prāyaścitta-dharma (Expiations and Purificatory Rites)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A penitent completing expiation; attendants present a newly made, full water-pot as the concluding purification token; the atmosphere is austere and ritualistic.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, muted earth pigments, a dharma-ritual scene: penitent in simple cloth, priest holding a pūrṇa-kumbha filled with water and mango leaves, sacred fire nearby, calm solemn faces, flat iconic composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf highlights on the pūrṇa-kumbha and ritual vessels, priest and penitent seated, ornate border, emphasis on the shining new water-pot as the completion of prāyaścitta.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, fine linework: step-by-step ritual conclusion with a new full water-pot, labeled vessels, clean architectural interior of a household ritual space, instructional clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed courtyard scene: penitent and Brahmin officiant, attendants carrying a freshly made water-pot brimming, delicate textiles, naturalistic shading, subdued solemn palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ज्येष्ठांशम्प्राप्नुयाच्चास्य → ज्येष्ठ-अंशम् + प्राप्नुयात् + च + अस्य; गुणतो ऽधिकः → गुणतः + अधिकः; महापापोपपन्नानाम् → महापाप-उपपन्नानाम्; प्रायश्चित्ते तु चरिते → प्रायश्चित्ते + तु + चरिते; कुम्भमपां → कुम्भम् + अपाम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: prāyaścitta-khaṇḍa sections on mahāpātaka and śuddhi; Agni Purana: dāna/udaka-kumbha related gift rules
FAQs
It conveys prāyaścitta protocol for grave wrongdoing and notes a concluding ritual act: presenting a new, full water-pot (pūrṇa-kumbha) after the expiation is completed.
It blends dharma-śāstric concerns (eligibility/entitlement to an elder’s share based on merit) with ritual jurisprudence (expiations for mahāpāpa and impurity-handling), showing the text’s coverage of both social order and liturgical procedure.
It frames expiation as a means to neutralize the karmic stain of great sin and restore ritual/social purity, with the pūrṇa-kumbha functioning as a completion marker and auspicious reintegration gesture.