Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 4
Srāvādya-śauca
Impurity due to bodily discharge and allied causes
न स्नानं हि सपिण्डे स्यात्त्रिरात्रं सप्तमाष्टयोः सद्यः शौचं सपिण्डानामादन्तजननात्तथा
na snānaṃ hi sapiṇḍe syāttrirātraṃ saptamāṣṭayoḥ sadyaḥ śaucaṃ sapiṇḍānāmādantajananāttathā
对同一祭团近亲（sapiṇḍa）而言，三夜之内不应沐浴；至第七、第八日则可沐浴。对sapiṇḍa而言，自婴儿出生至出牙之诸事，亦皆为即刻得净。
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Guides bathing restrictions and timing for sapiṇḍa relatives during āśauca, and clarifies cases of immediate śauca in early childhood milestones (birth to teething).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Sapiṇḍa-āśauca: snāna-niṣedha (3 nights) and sadyaḥ-śauca (birth–dantodgama)","lookup_keywords":["sapiṇḍa","snāna-niṣedha","trirātra","sadyaḥ-śauca","dantodgama"],"quick_summary":"For close kin, bathing is restricted for three nights with allowance around the 7th–8th day; in certain early-childhood events (birth to teething), purification is immediate."}
Concept: Purity rules are kinship-sensitive (sapiṇḍa) and event-sensitive, balancing restraint (snāna-niṣedha) with pragmatic immediacy in early-life contexts.
Application: In family bereavement, enforce the three-night bathing restraint for sapiṇḍas; treat certain infant-related events as not generating extended impurity, enabling continuity of essential rites.
Khanda Section: Dharma-vidhi (Ashauca–Shauca: rules of impurity and purification)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Close kin (sapiṇḍas) in a mourning household refrain from bathing for three nights; a later scene shows permitted bathing on the 7th/8th day; a parallel vignette shows a newborn/teething child with immediate śauca indicated.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, two-panel narrative: left panel kin seated with restrained austerity, no bathing implements; right panel on 7th/8th day a bathing scene with brass vessels; include a small vignette of infant teething signifying sadyaḥ-śauca.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style diptych with gold borders: panel of mourning restraint (no snāna), panel of permitted snāna on later day; symbolic lotus motifs for purity restoration.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style instructional illustration: calendar-like day markers (3 nights, 7th, 8th) beside figures; infant cradle vignette labeled birth-to-teeth for immediate purification.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature with marginal annotations: family group in subdued colors for first three nights, then brightened palette for 7th/8th day bathing; small infant scene with nurse showing teething."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्यात्त्रिरात्रं → स्यात् + त्रिरात्रम्; सप्तमाष्टयोः → सप्तम + अष्टयोः (द्वन्द्व); सपिण्डानामादन्तजननात्तथा → सपिण्डानाम् + आदन्तजननात् + तथा.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 158 (definitions of sapiṇḍa and śauca gradations); Agni Purana śrāddha/antyeṣṭi-related passages
FAQs
It gives āśauca–śauca procedure: for close kin (sapiṇḍas) bathing is restricted for a three-night period, while certain timings (7th/8th day) and infant-related situations (birth up to teething) entail immediate purification.
Alongside theology and worship, the Agni Purana preserves practical dharma-śāstra style regulations—family-based purity law, time-counting of impurity, and exceptions—showing its coverage of social-ritual governance.
Observing prescribed impurity and purification protects the integrity of rites (especially śrāddha and domestic rituals) and is treated as a dharmic discipline that maintains ritual order and reduces doṣa from improper observance.