Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 12
Prāyaścitta — Definitions of Killing, Brahmahatyā, and Graded Expiations
तुरीयो ब्रह्महत्यायाः क्षत्रियस्य बधे स्मृतं वैश्ये ऽष्टमांशो वृत्तस्थे शूद्रे ज्ञेयस्तु षोडशः
turīyo brahmahatyāyāḥ kṣatriyasya badhe smṛtaṃ vaiśye 'ṣṭamāṃśo vṛttasthe śūdre jñeyastu ṣoḍaśaḥ
杀害刹帝利之罪，被记为婆罗门杀罪的四分之一；杀害吠舍为八分之一；而杀害依其本分生计而活的首陀罗，则应知为十六分之一。
Lord Agni (narrating dharma and expiations to the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s discourse frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Determines comparative gravity of homicide across varṇas for assigning expiation and/or legal penalty; used in adjudication and priestly prescription.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Formula","entry_title":"Relative sin-measure for killing by varṇa (brahmahatyā baseline)","lookup_keywords":["brahmahatyā","kṣatriya-vadha","vaiśya-vadha","śūdra-vadha","turyāṣṭamāṃśa-ṣoḍaśa"],"quick_summary":"Defines homicide demerit as fractions of brahmahatyā: kṣatriya 1/4, vaiśya 1/8, śūdra (living by proper livelihood) 1/16."}
Concept: Hierarchized valuation of protected persons and proportional expiation; dharma as a graded system of responsibility and social function.
Application: Use fractional standards to calibrate penance/penalty consistently rather than arbitrarily.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Prāyaścitta (Expiations and gradations of sin)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A didactic chart-like scene: a sage points to a tablet showing fractions (1/4, 1/8, 1/16) relative to brahmahatyā, with symbolic figures of kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra beside the measures.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, sage with stylus and palm-leaf, fraction symbols rendered as traditional marks, three standing figures in distinct attire, austere palette, temple-wall symmetry.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, central manuscript with gold-embossed fraction motifs, three figures with ornate borders, devotional yet didactic composition, rich jewel tones.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean instructional layout, sage indicating proportional bars, fine shading, emphasis on legibility and order.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, scholar in a library presenting a folio with fractional notations, three figures in period costume, intricate carpet and architectural details."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vaiśye 'ṣṭamāṃśaḥ = vaiśye + aṣṭama-aṃśaḥ (avagraha). jñeyastu = jñeyaḥ + tu (visarga sandhi).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 173.11 (gradation principle); Agni Purana 173 (homicide expiations context)
FAQs
It gives a prāyaścitta/dharma-shāstra rule: the relative magnitude of the sin of killing persons of different varṇas, expressed as fractions of brahmahatyā.
Alongside ritual, iconography, and other sciences, the Agni Purāṇa also preserves normative legal-ethical material (smṛti-style dharma and expiation), showing its wide scope as a compendium.
It frames karma as graded by the perceived social-religious status and dharmic standing of the victim (e.g., a Śūdra “vṛttastha”), guiding proportional atonement and underscoring the gravity of brahmahatyā.