Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 12
Chapter 166: वर्णधर्मादिकथनं
Exposition of Varṇa-Dharma and Related Topics
धर्म एष सनातन इति ङ अर्थवादं स्मृतिः सूत इति ख , छ च वार्थवादो विशेषत इति ख , छ च देवयज्ञः पितृयज्ञो मनुष्यभूतयज्ञकौ ब्रह्मयज्ञः सप्तपाकयज्ञसंस्थाः पुरो ऽष्टकाः
dharma eṣa sanātana iti ṅa arthavādaṃ smṛtiḥ sūta iti kha , cha ca vārthavādo viśeṣata iti kha , cha ca devayajñaḥ pitṛyajño manuṣyabhūtayajñakau brahmayajñaḥ saptapākayajñasaṃsthāḥ puro 'ṣṭakāḥ
«هذا هو الدَّهرْما الأزلي»—هكذا يقول النص. يا سوتا (Sūta)، تُسمّى السِّمْرِتي (Smṛti) أيضًا arthavāda (مقطعًا تمجيديًا/تفسيريًا)؛ وarthavāda، على وجه الخصوص، ذو طابعٍ خاص في الثناء. والقرابين هي: deva-yajña، وpitṛ-yajña، وmanuṣya-yajña وbhūta-yajña، وكذلك brahma-yajña. ومؤسسات pākayajña سبع؛ وتَرِد أيضًا طقوس تُدعى puro-’ṣṭakā.
Suta (within a dharma-expository passage; Agni Purana’s narrator voice transmitted through Suta)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Provides a categorized index of pañcamahāyajñas and related pākayajña/haviryajña institutions; used by householders to fulfill daily obligations and by ritualists to classify rites.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Pañcamahāyajña and Pākayajña-saṃsthā: Deva–Pitṛ–Manuṣya–Bhūta–Brahma","lookup_keywords":["pañcamahāyajña","devayajña","pitṛyajña","brahmayajña","pākayajña"],"quick_summary":"Defines the five great sacrifices and notes the seven pākayajña institutions and puro-'ṣṭakā rites. It functions as a ritual taxonomy for daily and periodic gṛhya offerings."}
Alamkara Type: Arthavada
Concept: Sanātana-dharma is upheld through structured daily obligations; arthavāda supports adherence by praise/commendation.
Application: Operationalize pañcamahāyajña daily: offerings to devas, pitṛs, humans/guests, beings (animals/spirits via bali), and brahma-yajña (svādhyāya/veda).
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Smriti & Yajna-Vidhi (Pañcamahāyajña and Pakayajñas)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A householder’s courtyard with five symbolic stations: homa fire for deva-yajña, śrāddha offering for pitṛs, guest-feeding for manuṣya-yajña, bali offering for bhūtas, and scripture recitation for brahma-yajña; a scroll notes pākayajña and puro-'ṣṭakā.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, panoramic household yajña scene with five distinct ritual zones, priest and householder, offerings and lamps, inscriptions for the five yajñas, traditional mural palette and stylized figures","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central homa with gold foil flames, surrounding panels for pitṛ-tarpaṇa, atithi-bhojana, bali to beings, and brahma-yajña with palm-leaf manuscript, ornate border","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, schematic instructional layout of five yajñas with labeled icons (fire, piṇḍa, guest, bali, book), clean composition and soft colors","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, domestic courtyard with multiple simultaneous acts—homa, feeding a guest, offering to animals, reading scripture—fine utensils and textiles, architectural framing"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पुरः+अष्टकाः→पुरोऽष्टकाः (अवग्रह; ओऽ); pitṛyajñaḥ (पितृ+यज्ञः) internal sandhi; manuṣya+bhūta+yajñakau as dvandva with dual ending -au
Related Themes: Agni Purana 166.13 (haviryajña list)
FAQs
It classifies core household dharma practices by listing the pañcamahāyajñas (five daily great sacrifices) and notes the pākayajña system (domestic cooked-offering rites), along with aṣṭakā-type ancestral observances.
It shifts from defining textual categories like arthavāda within Smṛti-style discourse to enumerating practical ritual taxonomies (daily yajñas and domestic rites), showing the Purana’s blend of theory (hermeneutics) and applied dharma (householder ritual).
By performing the pañcamahāyajñas and related domestic rites, a householder sustains obligations to gods, ancestors, guests, living beings, and sacred study—purifying daily life and generating merit through continual reciprocal duty (ṛṇa-nivṛtti).