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
Ces deux héros composèrent cet hymne; et, parce qu’il réjouissait le peuple, il devint roi. Par lui, la vache fut traitée—pour le bien des récoltes (et la nourriture), et aussi pour soutenir la vie des sujets.
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.