Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 2
Yātrā-Maṇḍala-Cintā and Rājya-Rakṣaṇa: Auspicious Travel Rules and the Twelve-King Mandala
प्रतिलोमे च विध्वस्ते शुक्रे यात्रां विसर्जयेत् प्रतिलोमे बुधे यात्रां दिक्पतौ च तथा च ग्रहे
pratilome ca vidhvaste śukre yātrāṃ visarjayet pratilome budhe yātrāṃ dikpatau ca tathā ca grahe
শুক্ৰ প্ৰতিলোম (বিপৰীত) গতিত থাকি যদি বিধ্বস্ত/পীড়িত হয়, তেন্তে যাত্ৰা ত্যাগ কৰিব লাগে। তদ্ৰূপ বুধ প্ৰতিলোম হ’লে, আৰু দিকপতি তথা সংশ্লিষ্ট গ্ৰহ প্ৰতিকূল হ’লেও যাত্ৰা পৰিত্যাজ্য।
Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Jyotisha","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Operational rule: cancel/postpone travel when Venus or Mercury is retrograde/adverse and afflicted; also when the directional lord (dikpati) and the relevant planet are adverse—used for royal expeditions and important journeys.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Yātrā-Niṣedha: Retrograde/Afflicted Venus or Mercury; Adverse Dikpati and Graha","lookup_keywords":["shukra-pratiloma","budha-pratiloma","vidhvasta-graha","dikpati","yatra-nishedha"],"quick_summary":"Do not set out when Venus is retrograde/adverse and afflicted; similarly avoid travel when Mercury is adverse, and when the directional lord and the pertinent planet are unfavorable."}
Concept: Applied jyotiṣa as decision science: unfavorable celestial dynamics warrant restraint and rescheduling.
Application: Check Venus/Mercury motion and affliction, plus dikpati status, before departures; postpone when multiple negatives coincide.
Khanda Section: Jyotiṣa (Śakuna & Yātrā-vidhi: omens for travel and planetary conditions)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: Direction
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An astrologer marks Venus and Mercury as retrograde/afflicted on a chart; the king’s travel party pauses, with a rolled-up banner and halted chariot, indicating the journey is abandoned.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: halted royal procession, jyotishi pointing to a circular graha chart with Śukra and Budha highlighted in adverse position, dikpati symbols on compass rose, bold flat colors and ornate border","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: gold-highlighted horoscope board, richly dressed king deciding to postpone, attendants lowering the parasol, luminous gold work on instruments and ornaments, saturated palette","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: clear instructional scene with labeled planets Śukra/Budha and arrows showing pratiloma motion, compass with dikpati icons, calm court setting emphasizing procedure","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: detailed astrologer with manuscript and instruments, camp scene with paused departure, subtle annotations on the chart, refined figures and landscape depth"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: dikpatau = dik-patau; no major external sandhi beyond standard vowel coalescence in continuous recitation.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 232 (yātrā rules continuing); Agni Purana 231 (omens complementing planetary checks)
FAQs
It gives a Jyotiṣa-based yātrā-vidhi rule: do not commence travel when Venus or Mercury is adverse/afflicted, and likewise when the relevant directional lord (dikpati) and planet are unfavorable.
Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purāṇa preserves practical applied sciences such as electional astrology (muhūrta) for daily decisions like travel, showing its wide-ranging, handbook-like scope.
Avoiding inauspicious planetary conditions is presented as a dharmic precaution—reducing obstacles and harm—so that one’s actions (like travel) align with favorable cosmic order rather than inviting preventable adversity.