Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 2
Dānādi-māhātmya — The Glory of Gifts, Manuscript-Donation, and Purāṇic Transmission
वैशाख्याम्पौर्णमास्याञ्च स्वर्गार्थी जलधेनुमत् पाद्मं द्वादशसाहस्रं द्यैष्ठे दद्याच्च धेनुमत्
vaiśākhyāmpaurṇamāsyāñca svargārthī jaladhenumat pādmaṃ dvādaśasāhasraṃ dyaiṣṭhe dadyācca dhenumat
On the full-moon day in Vaiśākha, one who seeks heaven should give the gift called the “Water-Cow” (jala-dhenu). In Jyeṣṭha, one should give a Padma-gift of twelve thousand (units), and also a cow as a gift.
Lord Agni (in discourse to the sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the Agni Purāṇa’s standard narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Calendar-based dāna prescriptions: perform specific gifts on Vaiśākha Pūrṇimā and in Jyeṣṭha to gain svarga-phala and auspicious merit.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Māsa–tithi-dāna: Vaiśākha Pūrṇimā jala-dhenu; Jyeṣṭha padma-dāna (12,000) with go-dāna","lookup_keywords":["Vaiśākha Pūrṇimā","jala-dhenu","Jyeṣṭha","padma-dāna","go-dāna"],"quick_summary":"Specifies timed gifts: jala-dhenu on Vaiśākha full moon for svarga, and a 12,000-unit padma-gift plus cow-gift in Jyeṣṭha—linking dāna to ritual calendar."}
Concept: Kāla (auspicious time) amplifies dāna-phala; aligning generosity with vrata-calendar integrates personal intention (svargārtha) with dharmic order.
Application: Plan charitable acts on key lunar dates; interpret ‘jala-dhenu’ as structured water-donation (vessels, wells, water-service) and ‘padma-dāna’ as large-scale offering per local tradition.
Khanda Section: Dāna-dharma (Charity, Vrata, and Merit-producing Gifts)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Full-moon ritual in Vaiśākha with a symbolic ‘water-cow’ donation (water pots arranged as a cow form) and, in Jyeṣṭha, a grand lotus-themed donation with heaps counted to 12,000 and a cow being gifted.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, bright full moon over temple tank, devotees offering water pots arranged like a cow, later scene with lotus motifs and cow-gift, flat decorative style and bold outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gilded full-moon halo, ornate water pots with gold accents forming jala-dhenu, lotus offerings with rich gold work, cow adorned with garlands, symmetrical devotional composition.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional clarity: labeled scenes ‘Vaiśākha Pūrṇimā—jala-dhenu’ and ‘Jyeṣṭha—padma 12,000 + go-dāna’, soft colors, precise objects and counts.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, moonlit courtyard charity, attendants carrying water vessels, later daytime scene with lotus offerings and decorated cow, fine detailing of textiles and architecture."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shuddha Saveri","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vaiśākhyāmpaurṇamāsyāñca = vaiśākhyām paurṇamāsyām ca; dadyācca = dadyāt ca.
Related Themes: Agni Purana dāna-kalpa passages in 271+ (month-wise gifts)
FAQs
It prescribes month-specific charity: on Vaiśākha Paurṇimā the ‘jala-dhenu’ (water-cow) gift is recommended, and in Jyeṣṭha a Padma-type donation quantified as ‘twelve thousand’, along with cow-gift (go-dāna).
It catalogues practical Dharma instructions—calendar-based ritual charity (māsa-dāna), named donation-types (jala-dhenu, padma-dāna), and quantified giving—showing the text’s compendium style across ritual, ethics, and karmic outcomes.
The verse frames these donations as svarga-phala (heaven-leading merit): properly timed and properly named dānas are presented as high-yield acts of puṇya for uplifting post-mortem destiny.