Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 21
Chapter 230: शकुनानि (Śakunāni) — Omens
गृहाद्गम्य यदा चासो व्याहरेत् पुरुतः स्थितः नृपावमानं वदति वामः कलहभोजने
gṛhādgamya yadā cāso vyāharet purutaḥ sthitaḥ nṛpāvamānaṃ vadati vāmaḥ kalahabhojane
When, after going out from the house, a person standing in front speaks out, and in that utterance voices contempt for the king, this is an inauspicious left-sided omen, foretelling quarrel and strife connected with one’s meal or food.
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s didactic discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Jyotisha","practical_application":"Governance and social order: treat public speech that insults the king at the threshold/forefront as an inauspicious sign; manage court discipline and public messaging to prevent factional quarrels.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Nṛpāvamāna-śakuna—inauspicious speech against the king (vāma omen)","lookup_keywords":["nṛpāvamāna","vāma-śakuna","kalaha","gṛhādgamya","bhojana"],"quick_summary":"States an omen-rule: if, upon stepping out, someone in front utters contempt for the king, it is a left-sided inauspicious sign indicating quarrel/strife, especially around one’s meal/social setting."}
Concept: Vāk (speech) is karmically and socially potent; disrespect toward rightful authority is treated as a sign of impending discord.
Application: Practice measured speech when leaving home or entering public space; avoid inflammatory talk at meals/assemblies to prevent escalation into quarrel.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Niti-shastra (Omens and character-signs for governance)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A house doorway scene: a person steps out; another stands in front speaking harshly about the king; the left side is emphasized as ominous, with onlookers at a meal setting hinting at impending quarrel.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, domestic threshold with stylized figures, one speaking with sharp gesture, subtle left-side emphasis, a meal tray nearby foreshadowing kalaha, bold lines and earthy palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, doorway and courtly context combined, gold detailing on garments, the speaker in front with raised hand, symbolic left-side markers, decorative food vessels indicating bhojana-related strife.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear narrative instruction: house exit, front-standing speaker, caption-like space for 'vāmaḥ kalahabhōjane', gentle colors and precise expressions.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate courtyard scene with refined architecture, one figure speaking contemptuously, attendants reacting, a dining spread in the background, nuanced facial expressions."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"cautionary","suggested_raga":"Raga Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: gṛhādgamya = gṛhāt + gamya (t+d sandhi). cāso = ca + asau. hy not present here; purutaḥ treated as indeclinable adverb.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 230 (śakuna rules connected to conduct); Agni Purana (rājadharma/nīti sections elsewhere)
FAQs
It conveys nimittta-vidyā (omenology): disrespectful speech about the king, uttered upon stepping out and standing before someone, is treated as a left-omen indicating impending quarrel—especially around one’s meal/food context.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical niti material—how to read speech-omens and social conduct as predictive signs—integrating governance, ethics, and everyday auspiciousness into one compendium.
It warns that contempt for rightful authority (the king as a dharmic pillar) is adharma that ripens into discord; guarding speech is thus both ethically protective and karmically purifying.