Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 33
Srāvādya-śauca
Impurity due to bodily discharge and allied causes
संवत्सरे व्यतीते तु स्पृष्ट्वैवापो विशुद्ध्यति मृतके तु त्र्यहो भवेदिति घ , ङ , ञ च मतके तु तथा भवेदिति झ स्नाता इति ख , ग , घ , ङ , छ , ज च मातुले पक्षिणो रात्रिः शिष्यत्विग्बान्धवेषु च
saṃvatsare vyatīte tu spṛṣṭvaivāpo viśuddhyati mṛtake tu tryaho bhavediti gha , ṅa , ña ca matake tu tathā bhavediti jha snātā iti kha , ga , gha , ṅa , cha , ja ca mātule pakṣiṇo rātriḥ śiṣyatvigbāndhaveṣu ca
然而一年既过，水只要被触及便得净化。若遇死亡之不净（mṛtaka），则有三日不净期——‘gha、ṅa、ña’诸本如是说；若为母系亲属之丧（mātaka），亦复如是——‘jha’本如是说。应当沐浴——‘kha、ga、gha、ṅa、cha、ja’诸本如是记载。至于母舅（mātula）、行葬礼者（pakṣin），以及弟子、主祭婆罗门与亲族等，其不净仅一夜。
Lord Agni (teaching sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue style)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Determining the duration of aśauca (death-impurity) and the required śuddhi (bathing/touching water) based on kinship and time elapsed, for correct participation in daily rites, pūjā, and social conduct.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Aśauca durations by kinship; water-purification after one year","lookup_keywords":["aśauca","mṛtaka","mātaka","snāna","śuddhi"],"quick_summary":"After one year, water is purified by mere touch; for certain deaths a three-day impurity is taught in some recensions, while for specified relations (maternal uncle, funeral-performer, pupil, priest, relatives) impurity is one night, with bathing prescribed in several recensions."}
Concept: Ritual purity is context-sensitive (time, relation, and rite) and is maintained through prescribed śuddhi acts like snāna and water-contact.
Application: Use the stated durations to decide when one may resume agnihotra, pūjā, śrāddha participation, teaching/learning, and temple entry according to one’s tradition/recension.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Shauca-Ashauca (Purity, impurity, funerary observances)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A household observing death-impurity rules: a person bathing for purification, vessels of water being touched to restore purity, and elders indicating different kinship categories and durations (three days vs one night).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, muted earth pigments, a domestic courtyard with a water pot and bathing area, elders in white garments instructing a householder on aśauca durations, symbolic calendar marking one year, calm ritual atmosphere.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style with gold leaf accents, central figure performing snāna with a golden water vessel, side panels showing kinship figures (mātula, ṛtvij, śiṣya) with labels, ornamental borders, devotional-ritual mood.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, fine linework, instructional tableau: chart-like depiction of three-day vs one-night impurity, a bather near a river/pond, annotated kinship icons, clean pastel palette.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature style, detailed interior courtyard scene with attendants bringing water, a scholar pointing to a small written recension mark (gha/ṅa/ña), delicate textiles, subdued mourning colors."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्पृष्ट्वैवापो = स्पृष्ट्वा + एव + आपः; भवेदिति = भवेत् + इति; शिष्यत्विग्बान्धवेषु = शिष्य + त्विक् + बान्धवेषु (समुच्चय/द्वन्द्वार्थ-समाहार, written without explicit sandhi breaks). Markers (ख,ग,घ,ङ,छ,ज,झ etc.) treated as textual संकेताक्षर.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 158 (aśauca-śuddhi section); Agni Purana śrāddha/antyeṣṭi prakaraṇa (adjacent chapters)
FAQs
It gives shauca–ashauca procedure: duration of impurity after a death (three days in some readings), cases where only one night applies (maternal uncle, funeral participant, student, priest, relatives), and the remedial act of bathing; it also notes textual-variant traditions (different recensions).
Alongside theology and worship, the Agni Purana preserves practical Dharma-shastra material—precise social-ritual regulations for death impurity, purification of water, and variant textual attestations—showing its compendium character across ritual law and daily conduct.
Observing the prescribed impurity periods and purification acts (especially bathing) is treated as maintaining ritual fitness and dharmic order, preventing the carryover of ashauca into worship and daily rites, thereby supporting personal and familial spiritual discipline.