Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 15
Prāyaścitta — Definitions of Killing, Brahmahatyā, and Graded Expiations
अतिवृद्धामतिकृशामतिबालाञ्च रोगिणीं न संस्कृतिरिति छ बधे ऽस्य तु इति छ हत्वा पूर्वविधानेन चरेदर्धव्रतं द्विजः
ativṛddhāmatikṛśāmatibālāñca rogiṇīṃ na saṃskṛtiriti cha badhe 'sya tu iti cha hatvā pūrvavidhānena caredardhavrataṃ dvijaḥ
Para sa labis na matanda, labis na payat, labis na bata, o maysakit, sinasabing walang ganap na saṃskāra (ritwal) na isinasagawa. Ngunit kung ang isang dvija (dalawang ulit na isinilang) ay pumatay ng gayong tao, ayon sa naunang tuntunin, dapat niyang isagawa ang kalahating panata (ardha-vrata) bilang pag-alis-sala.
Lord Agni (teaching sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Ayurveda","practical_application":"Introduces mitigating status for victims lacking full saṃskāra eligibility (very aged, emaciated, very young, diseased) and prescribes reduced expiation (half-vow) for a dvija who kills such a person.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Mitigation: persons without full saṃskāra; ardha-vrata for killing them","lookup_keywords":["ativṛddha","atikṛśa","atibāla","rogiṇī","ardha-vrata"],"quick_summary":"States that for extremely aged/emaciated/very young/diseased persons full saṃskāra is not applicable; if a twice-born kills such a person, expiation is reduced to a half-vow per prior rule."}
Concept: Dharma accounts for human vulnerability and ritual eligibility; expiation is scaled by context and capacity.
Application: In prescribing penance or judging culpability, consider the victim’s and offender’s conditions and apply proportionate, non-destructive austerity.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Prāyaścitta (Expiations and ritual atonements)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A teacher explains reduced expiation (ardha-vrata) while showing four vulnerable figures: extremely aged, emaciated, very young child, and a sick person; a dvija penitent is shown undertaking a moderated vow.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, guru with palm-leaf manuscript, four vulnerable figures in a row (vṛddha, kṛśa, bāla, rogin), dvija penitent with simple attire, warm earthy palette, clear narrative grouping.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, guru and penitent with gold accents, symbolic half-measure motif (half-filled bowl/half-mark), four figures rendered with compassionate expressions, ornate border.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, didactic composition with labeled vulnerable categories and a clear depiction of a ‘half-vow’ regimen (reduced food/ritual), delicate lines and soft shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, scholar in a veranda instructing, realistic portrayal of age and illness, penitent seated with a small ration bowl indicating half-vow, intricate textiles and architecture."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ativṛddhāmatikṛśāmatibālām = ati-vṛddhām + ati-kṛśām + ati-bālām (sandhi/concatenation). badhe 'sya = badhe + asya (avagraha). caredardhavratam = caret + ardha-vratam (t/d sandhi). The two occurrences of “iti ca” reflect quoted textual variants (छ).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 173.11 (mitigation for aged/women/children/sick); Agni Purana 173 (prior rule referenced for expiation scaling)
FAQs
It specifies a prāyaścitta gradation: if a dvija kills a person considered outside full saṃskāra-eligibility due to extreme age, extreme emaciation, very young age, or serious illness, the expiation is reduced to an ardha-vrata (half-vow) following the earlier procedure.
It preserves Dharma-śāstra-style casuistry—fine distinctions in ritual law and penance—showing how the Agni Purana functions as a compendium not only of mythology and worship but also of jurisprudential-ritual norms (prāyaścitta and saṃskāra rules).
It frames killing as karmically polluting yet introduces proportional expiation, aiming at purification and restoration of ritual-spiritual order through a regulated vow (vrata) rather than leaving the act without remedial dharma.