Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 41

Prāyaścitta — Definitions of Killing, Brahmahatyā, and Graded Expiations

Devanagari script

अधःशायी जटाधारी पर्णमूलफलाशनः एककालं समश्नानो द्वादशाब्दे विशुद्ध्यति

Transliteration

adhaḥśāyī jaṭādhārī parṇamūlaphalāśanaḥ ekakālaṃ samaśnāno dvādaśābde viśuddhyati

Translation

ผู้ที่นอนบนพื้นดิน เปี่ยมด้วยชฏา (ผมมุ่น) ดำรงชีพด้วยใบไม้ ราก และผลไม้ และฉันเพียงวันละครั้งอย่างพอประมาณ—ด้วยวัตรเช่นนี้ย่อมบริสุทธิ์ภายในสิบสองปี.

Word by Word

• अधःशायी: lying down below/on the ground
• अधःशायी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधः-शायी (प्रातिपदिक; शय्-धातु से कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण: शय् (धातु) + णिनि/ई (शायी) = 'lying'; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: अधः + शायी

• जटाधारी: wearing matted hair
• जटाधारी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटा-धारी (प्रातिपदिक; धृ-धातु से कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण: धृ (धातु) + णिनि/ई (धारी) = 'bearing'; षष्ठी/उपपद-तत्पुरुष: जटा + धारी

• पर्ण-मूल-फल-आशनः: one who eats leaves, roots, and fruits
• पर्ण-मूल-फल-आशनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर्ण + मूल + फल + आशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समास: पर्णमूलफल (द्वन्द्व-सदृश समाहार) + आशन (भोजी) = तत्पुरुष; 'पर्ण-मूल-फलानि आशनं यस्य' इति अर्थे विशेषण

• एक-कालम्: once (at one time)
• एक-कालम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एक + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (क्रियाविशेषण): 'एकस्मिन् काले' = once a day/at one time

• समश्नानः: eating (in a regulated manner)
• समश्नानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + अश् (धातु) → समश्नान (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present participle): अश् (to eat) + शानच्/शतृ (श्नान) with उपसर्ग सम्; 'eating properly/with restraint'

• द्वादश-अब्दे: in twelve years
• द्वादश-अब्दे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश + अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास: द्वादश (संख्या) + अब्द (वर्ष) = 'in twelve years'

• विशुद्ध्यति: becomes purified
• विशुद्ध्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; धातु: शुध् (to be purified) with उपसर्ग वि

Speaker

Lord Agni (teaching Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional discourse)

Vidya Category

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Designing a long-term tapas regimen for purification: austerity, diet restriction, and disciplined daily routine.","sutra_style":true}

Encyclopedic Reference

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Dvādaśābda-tapas (Twelve-year purification regimen)","lookup_keywords":["tapas","dvādaśābda","ekakāla-bhojana","pārṇamūlaphalāśana","adhahśayana"],"quick_summary":"A prescribed ascetic regimen—sleeping on the ground, matted hair, leaf-root-fruit diet, and one measured meal daily—culminates in purification over twelve years."}

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śuddhi through niyama (regulated conduct) and tapas sustained over time.

Application: Adopt graded austerities with clear duration, diet limits, and bodily discipline to cultivate self-mastery and ritual purity.

Khanda Section

Khanda Section: Dharma–Tapas–Prāyaścitta (Austerities and expiatory purification)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An ascetic with matted locks sleeps on bare earth near a simple hermitage, eating a small measured portion of fruits and roots once daily.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, serene forest āśrama, tapasvī with jaṭā, minimal garments, sitting near leaf-plate of fruits/roots, muted earth tones, calm śānta mood.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ascetic seated in meditation beside a small leaf-plate meal, stylized forest backdrop, subtle gold highlights on sacred implements (kamaṇḍalu), devotional austerity ambience.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional depiction of ekakāla-bhojana and adhahśayana: ascetic, ground-bed of kusa/earth, labeled elements (leaf-root-fruit diet), clean lines and soft colors.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed woodland hermitage, ascetic with jaṭā and kamaṇḍalu, small measured meal, naturalistic flora, quiet contemplative composition."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Ahir Bhairav","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: पर्णमूलफलाशनः = पर्ण-मूल-फल-आशनः; एककालं (अव्ययीभाव); द्वादशाब्दे = द्वादश-अब्दे; समश्नानो = समश्नानः (प्रथमा एकवचन)

Cross References

Related Themes: Agni Purana 173 (Prāyaścitta-vidhi context)

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Tapas
• Vrata
• Prāyaścitta

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It prescribes an ascetic prāyaścitta regimen—ground-sleeping, jaṭā (matted hair), a leaf-root-fruit diet, and ekakāla (one meal daily) with measured intake—as a time-bound means of purification.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Beyond mythology, the Agni Purāṇa catalogs practical dharma-śāstra material: graded penances, dietary rules, and long-term observances used for ritual and moral purification, showing its wide-ranging instructional scope.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

The verse frames sustained self-restraint (tapas) as a purifier of accumulated impurity/sin, stating that consistent observance of this discipline culminates in cleansing over a twelve-year period.