Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 16
Svāyambhuva-vaṁśa-varṇanam
Description of the Lineage of Svāyambhuva Manu
तत्स्तोत्रञ्चक्रतुर्वीरौ राजाभूज्जनरञ्जनात् दुग्धा गौस्तेन शस्यार्थं प्रजानां जीवनाय च
tatstotrañcakraturvīrau rājābhūjjanarañjanāt dugdhā gaustena śasyārthaṃ prajānāṃ jīvanāya ca
সেই দুই বীর সেই স্তোত্র রচনা করল। জনসাধারণকে আনন্দিত করায় তিনি রাজা হলেন। তাঁর দ্বারা গাভী দোহন করা হল—শস্যসিদ্ধি ও প্রজাদের জীবনধারণের জন্য।
Lord Agni (narrating Purāṇic instruction to Sage Vasiṣṭha, in the typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Model for legitimizing kingship through public welfare: ruler gains authority by pleasing subjects and ensuring agrarian prosperity (cow/earth as economic base).","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Raja as Janaranjaka and the Milking of the Cow for Prosperity","lookup_keywords":["janaranjana","raja-dharma","dhenu-duhana","krishi","praja-jivana"],"quick_summary":"Kingship is validated by delighting and sustaining the people; prosperity is framed as ‘milking the cow’ (productive resources) for crops and life-support of subjects."}
Alamkara Type: Rupaka
Concept: Ruler’s dharma is praja-palana (life-sustenance) and loka-ranjana; resources must be drawn for common good.
Application: Policy ethic: taxation/extraction should be like milking—non-destructive, timed, and aimed at food security and public well-being.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance and Kingship Ethics)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A benevolent king associated with a hymn, while a cow is ceremonially milked into vessels symbolizing crops and the life of subjects.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: crowned king seated in court with sages chanting a stotra; sacred cow being milked by attendants; lush paddy fields in background; flat colors, bold outlines, temple aesthetic.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: central king with halo and ornate jewelry; gold-leaf highlights on throne and vessels; sacred cow foreground being milked; stylized lotuses and granary motifs.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: instructional tableau—king overseeing orderly milking into measured pots; fine linework, muted palette, emphasis on agrarian tools and storage jars.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: court scene with two poets/sages presenting a hymn; detailed cow-milking scene with attendants; naturalistic landscape with fields and villagers; delicate borders."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Shri","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tatstotram → तत् + स्तोत्रम्; stotrañca → स्तोत्रम् + च; rājābhūt → राजा + अभूत्; jīvanāya ca unchanged; śasyārthaṃ → शस्य + अर्थम् (compound).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma sections on raja-dharma and praja-palana; Agni Purana cosmology passages on Prithvi as dhenu (earth-cow)
FAQs
It conveys a practical rajadharma principle: a ruler’s legitimacy arises from jana-rañjana (public welfare), and his duty includes ensuring food-security—symbolized by milking the cow for agricultural productivity and the people’s sustenance.
Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purana also records statecraft and socio-economic welfare: kingship is tied to public satisfaction, agrarian output (śasya), and sustaining life (jīvana) of the prajā—showing its broad, policy-like scope.
A king who protects and sustains the prajā through righteous governance accrues dharma and merit; pleasing the people through welfare-oriented rule is treated as a dharmic foundation for rightful sovereignty.