Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 41

Prāyaścitta — Definitions of Killing, Brahmahatyā, and Graded Expiations

Devanagari script

अधःशायी जटाधारी पर्णमूलफलाशनः एककालं समश्नानो द्वादशाब्दे विशुद्ध्यति

Transliteration

adhaḥśāyī jaṭādhārī parṇamūlaphalāśanaḥ ekakālaṃ samaśnāno dvādaśābde viśuddhyati

Translation

卧睡于裸地，披持结发（jaṭā），以叶、根与果为食，每日仅一次且量有节制——依此行持，十二年而得清净。

Word by Word

• अधःशायी: lying down below/on the ground
• अधःशायी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधः-शायी (प्रातिपदिक; शय्-धातु से कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण: शय् (धातु) + णिनि/ई (शायी) = 'lying'; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: अधः + शायी

• जटाधारी: wearing matted hair
• जटाधारी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटा-धारी (प्रातिपदिक; धृ-धातु से कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण: धृ (धातु) + णिनि/ई (धारी) = 'bearing'; षष्ठी/उपपद-तत्पुरुष: जटा + धारी

• पर्ण-मूल-फल-आशनः: one who eats leaves, roots, and fruits
• पर्ण-मूल-फल-आशनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर्ण + मूल + फल + आशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समास: पर्णमूलफल (द्वन्द्व-सदृश समाहार) + आशन (भोजी) = तत्पुरुष; 'पर्ण-मूल-फलानि आशनं यस्य' इति अर्थे विशेषण

• एक-कालम्: once (at one time)
• एक-कालम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एक + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (क्रियाविशेषण): 'एकस्मिन् काले' = once a day/at one time

• समश्नानः: eating (in a regulated manner)
• समश्नानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + अश् (धातु) → समश्नान (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present participle): अश् (to eat) + शानच्/शतृ (श्नान) with उपसर्ग सम्; 'eating properly/with restraint'

• द्वादश-अब्दे: in twelve years
• द्वादश-अब्दे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश + अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास: द्वादश (संख्या) + अब्द (वर्ष) = 'in twelve years'

• विशुद्ध्यति: becomes purified
• विशुद्ध्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; धातु: शुध् (to be purified) with उपसर्ग वि

Speaker

Lord Agni (teaching Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional discourse)

Vidya Category

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Designing a long-term tapas regimen for purification: austerity, diet restriction, and disciplined daily routine.","sutra_style":true}

Encyclopedic Reference

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Dvādaśābda-tapas (Twelve-year purification regimen)","lookup_keywords":["tapas","dvādaśābda","ekakāla-bhojana","pārṇamūlaphalāśana","adhahśayana"],"quick_summary":"A prescribed ascetic regimen—sleeping on the ground, matted hair, leaf-root-fruit diet, and one measured meal daily—culminates in purification over twelve years."}

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śuddhi through niyama (regulated conduct) and tapas sustained over time.

Application: Adopt graded austerities with clear duration, diet limits, and bodily discipline to cultivate self-mastery and ritual purity.

Khanda Section

Khanda Section: Dharma–Tapas–Prāyaścitta (Austerities and expiatory purification)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An ascetic with matted locks sleeps on bare earth near a simple hermitage, eating a small measured portion of fruits and roots once daily.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, serene forest āśrama, tapasvī with jaṭā, minimal garments, sitting near leaf-plate of fruits/roots, muted earth tones, calm śānta mood.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ascetic seated in meditation beside a small leaf-plate meal, stylized forest backdrop, subtle gold highlights on sacred implements (kamaṇḍalu), devotional austerity ambience.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional depiction of ekakāla-bhojana and adhahśayana: ascetic, ground-bed of kusa/earth, labeled elements (leaf-root-fruit diet), clean lines and soft colors.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed woodland hermitage, ascetic with jaṭā and kamaṇḍalu, small measured meal, naturalistic flora, quiet contemplative composition."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Ahir Bhairav","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: पर्णमूलफलाशनः = पर्ण-मूल-फल-आशनः; एककालं (अव्ययीभाव); द्वादशाब्दे = द्वादश-अब्दे; समश्नानो = समश्नानः (प्रथमा एकवचन)

Cross References

Related Themes: Agni Purana 173 (Prāyaścitta-vidhi context)

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Tapas
• Vrata
• Prāyaścitta

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It prescribes an ascetic prāyaścitta regimen—ground-sleeping, jaṭā (matted hair), a leaf-root-fruit diet, and ekakāla (one meal daily) with measured intake—as a time-bound means of purification.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Beyond mythology, the Agni Purāṇa catalogs practical dharma-śāstra material: graded penances, dietary rules, and long-term observances used for ritual and moral purification, showing its wide-ranging instructional scope.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

The verse frames sustained self-restraint (tapas) as a purifier of accumulated impurity/sin, stating that consistent observance of this discipline culminates in cleansing over a twelve-year period.