Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 17
Duties outside the Varṇa Order (वर्णेतरधर्माः) — Agni Purana, Chapter 151
न संस्पर्शस्तथैवान्यैश् चण्डालस्य विधीयते ब्राह्मणार्थे गवार्थे वा देहत्यागो ऽत्र यः कृतः
na saṃsparśastathaivānyaiś caṇḍālasya vidhīyate brāhmaṇārthe gavārthe vā dehatyāgo 'tra yaḥ kṛtaḥ
اسی طرح چنڈال کے ساتھ دوسروں کے لیے جسمانی لمس مقرر نہیں۔ اس باب میں برہمن کے فائدے یا گائے کے فائدے کے لیے جو ترکِ بدن (دہہ تیاگ) کیا جائے، وہ عملِ ثواب قرار دیا گیا ہے۔
Lord Agni (narrating purificatory and dharma rules to sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Sets conduct rules regarding contact-avoidance with a Caṇḍāla and frames self-sacrifice for protecting a Brāhmaṇa or a cow as meritorious—used in adjudicating purity, social interaction, and dharmic heroism.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Asparśa rule and merit of dehatyāga for brāhmaṇa/go protection","lookup_keywords":["caṇḍāla-asparśa","saṃsparśa-niṣedha","brāhmaṇārthe","gavārthe","dehatyāga"],"quick_summary":"Prescribes non-contact with a Caṇḍāla as a purity boundary, and recognizes voluntary death undertaken to protect a Brāhmaṇa or a cow as a dharmically praised act."}
Concept: Dharma as purity-regulation (asparśa) and as valorized self-sacrifice for protecting sacred social/religious goods (brāhmaṇa, cow).
Application: Used in community rules (who may touch whom) and in ethical narratives/legal reasoning about highest merit acts in crises.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Shauca-ashauca (Purity rules and social-ritual conduct)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A social scene showing people maintaining distance from a Caṇḍāla, contrasted with a dramatic moment of a person sacrificing himself to protect a cow or a Brāhmaṇa.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: two-panel narrative—left panel villagers keeping ritual distance from a caṇḍāla figure at the edge; right panel a heroic figure interposing himself before danger to save a cow and a brāhmaṇa in white garments; bold flat colors, expressive eyes, temple-lamp motifs.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold: central cow with halo-like gold ornamentation, a brāhmaṇa beside, a protector figure in dynamic pose; side vignette showing maintained distance; rich jewel tones, embossed gold for sacred figures and ornaments.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: didactic composition with clear separation lines indicating asparśa boundary; second scene showing dehatyāga as heroic protection; fine linework, soft palette, minimal background clutter.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: detailed street/village edge with figures avoiding contact; separate dramatic vignette of protection of cow and brāhmaṇa; realistic textiles, architectural detail, subdued colors."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: saṃsparśastathaivānyaiś → saṃsparśaḥ + tathā + eva + anyaiḥ; brāhmaṇārthe → brāhmaṇa-arthe; gavārthe → gav-arthe; dehatyāgo 'tra → deha-tyāgaḥ + atra
Related Themes: Agni Purana 151 (Varṇāntara-dharma and śauca/āśauca context)
FAQs
It gives a shauca (ritual purity) injunction: avoid physical contact with a Caṇḍāla, and it notes the religiously meritorious status of deha-tyāga (self-sacrifice) undertaken to protect a Brāhmaṇa or a cow.
Alongside theology and worship, the Agni Purana includes dharma-shastra style material—practical rules of purity, social conduct, and expiation—showing its broad, compendium-like scope over ritual law and ethics.
The verse frames restraint in contact (as a purity safeguard) and self-sacrifice for protecting revered beings (Brāhmaṇa and cow) as acts that generate religious merit and support purification-oriented dharma.