Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 4
Dānādi-māhātmya — The Glory of Gifts, Manuscript-Donation, and Purāṇic Transmission
जलधेनुमदाषाढ्यां विष्णोः पदमवाप्नुयात् चतुर्दशसहस्राणि वायवीयं हरिप्रियं
jaladhenumadāṣāḍhyāṃ viṣṇoḥ padamavāpnuyāt caturdaśasahasrāṇi vāyavīyaṃ haripriyaṃ
Al donar una “vaca de agua” (jaladhenu) junto con la ofrenda de Āṣāḍha, se alcanza la morada de Viṣṇu; este acto otorga catorce mil méritos, de carácter Vāyavīya y querido para Hari.
Lord Agni (narrating to sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Dāna-vidhi: prescribing a specific composite gift (jaladhenu with Āṣāḍhā-offering) and stating its phala/puṇya-count for ritual charity planning.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Jaladhenu-dāna with Āṣāḍhā-upacāra (Vāyavīya, Hari-priya)","lookup_keywords":["jaladhenu","Āṣāḍhā dāna","Viṣṇuloka phala","Vāyavīya puṇya","Hari-priya dāna"],"quick_summary":"Donate a symbolic ‘water-cow’ along with the Āṣāḍhā-associated offering; the text assigns a fixed merit (14,000) and promises attainment of Viṣṇu’s abode."}
Concept: Dāna as a dharmic means to attain higher lokas; phala is specified as a motivating and regulating principle.
Application: Use prescribed gift-forms and timing to structure household charity and vrata-linked giving.
Khanda Section: Dāna-vidhi (Gifts and their phala / merit)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A donor presents a ritual ‘water-cow’ (a cow-form vessel or symbolic cow associated with water) with Āṣāḍhā seasonal offerings to a brāhmaṇa; Viṣṇu’s abode is implied as the spiritual reward.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style: a yajamāna in white dhoti offering a jaladhenu (cow-shaped water vessel) with Āṣāḍhā offerings to a serene brāhmaṇa; background shows stylized Vaikuṇṭha with Viṣṇu iconography, earthy reds and greens, bold outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: central scene of dāna—donor and brāhmaṇa with jaladhenu; small inset of Viṣṇu in Vaikuṇṭha; rich gold leaf highlights on ornaments and halo, deep maroons and greens.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: clean instructional composition showing the jaladhenu object clearly (cow-shaped container), donor handing it with seasonal offering; delicate lines, muted palette, minimal background with a Vaikuṇṭha emblem.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: courtly donor scene with detailed textiles; a cow-shaped water vessel presented to a learned brāhmaṇa; marginal cloud band suggesting Viṣṇu’s loka; fine brushwork and architectural pavilion."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional-devotional","suggested_raga":"Madhyamavati","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: जलधेनुमदाषाढ्यां = जलधेनु-मत्-आषाढ्याम्; चतुर्दशसहस्राणि = चतुर्दश-सहस्राणि; पदमवाप्नुयात् = पदम् + अवाप्नुयात् (m+a→ma).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Dāna-vidhi sections on gau-dāna variants; Agni Purana Vrata-kathā/kalpa-related dānas
FAQs
It specifies a dāna-vidhi: offering the jaladhenu (a ritualized ‘water-cow’ gift) along with an Āṣāḍha-associated observance, and it quantifies the resulting merit as a named category (vāyavīya).
It exemplifies the text’s catalog-style dharma material—listing particular donations, their timing/associations (like Āṣāḍha), the precise spiritual result (Viṣṇu-pada), and even numeric/typed merit—typical of the Agni Purāṇa’s wide-ranging practical compendium.
The act is framed as a high-yield charitable rite whose fruit is access to Viṣṇu’s abode (viṣṇoḥ padam), indicating strong Vaiṣṇava puṇya and purification through prescribed giving.