Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 14
Chapter 166: वर्णधर्मादिकथनं
Exposition of Varṇa-Dharma and Related Topics
अग्न्याधेयमग्निहोत्रं दर्शः स्यात् पशुबन्धकः चातुर्मास्याग्रहायेष्टिर्निरूढः पशुबन्धकः
agnyādheyamagnihotraṃ darśaḥ syāt paśubandhakaḥ cāturmāsyāgrahāyeṣṭirnirūḍhaḥ paśubandhakaḥ
Ang Agnyādhāna at ang Agnihotra ay mga ritwal ng pagsamba sa apoy. Ang ritwal na Darśa ay sinasabing isang anyo ng paśubandha (sakripisyong may handog na hayop). Ang mga ritwal na Cāturmāsya, ang Āgrahāyaṇeṣṭi, at ang Nirūḍha (paśubandha) ay gayundin na inuuri bilang mga sakripisyong paśubandha.
Lord Agni (Agni Purana narrator) addressing sage Vasiṣṭha
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Classify and select Śrauta rites correctly (fire-rites vs paśubandha class) for calendrical and eligibility planning in Vedic ritual performance.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Śrauta-yajña classification: Agnyādhāna–Agnihotra and Paśubandha group","lookup_keywords":["Agnyadhana","Agnihotra","Darsha","Chaturmasya","Pashubandha"],"quick_summary":"Defines key fire-rites and groups Darśa, Cāturmāsya, Āgrahāyaṇeṣṭi, and Nirūḍha under paśubandha-type sacrifices for ritual taxonomy."}
Concept: Ritual knowledge as structured categories (yajña-bheda) enabling correct dharmic performance.
Application: Use the classification to avoid mixing iṣṭi/paśu categories and to plan required implements, priests, and offerings.
Khanda Section: Agneya-vidya (Vedic Yajña and Śrauta Rituals)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A Vedic altar-ground with three sacred fires being established (Agnyādhāna), a householder offering Agnihotra, and a schematic grouping of Darśa/Cāturmāsya/Āgrahāyaṇeṣṭi/Nirūḍha as paśubandha rites with ritual implements and a tethered sacrificial animal shown symbolically.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm earthy palette, stylized yajña-śālā with three fires (gārhapatya, āhavanīya, dakṣiṇa), priests in white, ladles and soma vessels, symbolic paśu near a post, flat decorative borders, sacred geometry motifs","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central sacred fire altar with gold-leaf highlights on vessels and ladles, richly ornamented priests, labeled ritual items (darśa, cāturmāsya, āgrahāyaṇeṣṭi, nirūḍha) in small cartouches, deep red background, embossed gold detailing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, clean linework instructional tableau: three-fire layout diagram, priest performing agnihotra, side panels listing paśubandha-class rites, muted colors, delicate shading, manuscript-like clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed yajña pavilion with attendants, precise rendering of utensils, a calendar scroll indicating seasonal rites, subtle depiction of paśubandha symbolism, fine floral margins, jewel-toned palette"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अग्न्याधेयम्+अग्निहोत्रम् → अग्न्याधेयमग्निहोत्रम्; चातुर्मास्य+आग्रहाय+इष्टिः → चातुर्मास्याग्रहायेष्टिः; इष्टिः+निरूढः → इष्टिर्निरूढः
Related Themes: Agni Purana 166 (Agneya-vidya section on Śrauta classifications)
FAQs
It gives a Śrauta-style classification: it lists key Vedic rites (Agnyādhāna, Agnihotra, Darśa, Cāturmāsya, Āgrahāyaṇeṣṭi, Nirūḍha) and identifies several as belonging to the paśubandha (animal-offering) category.
Rather than narrating mythology, it functions like a ritual manual—cataloguing and grouping Śrauta yajñas by type—showing the Purana’s compendium-style coverage of Vedic liturgy and technical dharma.
By correctly understanding and performing these prescribed yajñas—especially the fire-based rites and properly classified sacrifices—one is said in the broader Vedic-Puranic framework to gain purification, uphold dharma, and accrue ritual merit (puṇya) through sanctioned offerings to Agni and the devas.