Agni Purana — Bhuvanakosha & Tirtha-mahatmya, Shloka 60
अध्याय ११५ — गयायात्राविधिः
Procedure for the Pilgrimage to Gayā
प्रेतराजः स्वमुक्त्यै च वणिजञ्चेदमब्रवीत् प्रेतैः सर्वैः सहार्तः सन् सुकृतं भुज्यते फलं
pretarājaḥ svamuktyai ca vaṇijañcedamabravīt pretaiḥ sarvaiḥ sahārtaḥ san sukṛtaṃ bhujyate phalaṃ
Et le Seigneur des preta, désirant sa propre délivrance, dit ceci au marchand : «Affligé avec tous les preta, on goûte le fruit de ses actes méritoires».
Preta-rāja (King/Lord of the Pretas) speaking to a merchant (vaṇij)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Moral instruction on karmaphala: even in preta-affliction, beings undergo results of past merit; encourages ethical living and timely rites for the dead.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Karmaphala experienced amid preta-affliction (Preta-rāja’s statement)","lookup_keywords":["Preta-rāja","karmaphala","sukṛta-phala","after-death","Yama realm"],"quick_summary":"The verse states a compact doctrine: the fruit of merit is experienced even while afflicted in preta conditions, underscoring inevitability and precision of karmic fruition."}
Alamkara Type: Sūkti (gnomic utterance)
Concept: Karma-niyati: sukṛta and duṣkṛta yield corresponding results regardless of intermediate states; suffering and enjoyment can co-occur according to karmic mixture.
Application: Adopt ethical conduct and perform expiations/charities; for the deceased, perform śrāddha to alleviate preta-state while accepting karmic law.
Khanda Section: Preta-kalpa (After-death rites, karmaphala, and the realm of Yama)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Otherworld realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Preta-rāja addresses a merchant in a liminal otherworld court; surrounding pretas appear afflicted, while a symbolic scale/light indicates karmic fruits being dispensed.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Preta-rāja enthroned with stern yet didactic expression, merchant standing with folded hands, afflicted pretas around, stylized otherworld landscape, strong outlines and earthy reds/blacks.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, Preta-rāja with ornate crown and gold highlights, merchant in humble posture, gold-leaf used to depict karmic ‘fruit’ as radiant orbs amid darker preta surroundings.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear didactic tableau: Preta-rāja pointing as if teaching, merchant listening, background showing pretas and a symbolic ledger/scale, soft colors and fine detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, otherworldly court with detailed architecture, Preta-rāja speaking to a merchant, numerous pretas in the margins, subtle visual metaphor of karmic fruits (light/dark tokens) in attendants’ hands."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"solemn","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वणिजञ्चेदमब्रवीत् = वणिजम् + च + इदम् + अब्रवीत् (म् + च → ञ्च); सहार्तः = सह + आर्तः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana preta-kalpa discussions (within 115 and neighboring chapters on naraka, preta, śrāddha)
FAQs
It conveys karmaphala-vidyā in a preta-context: the departed experience (bhujyate) the results (phala) of sukṛta (merit), even amid collective distress in the preta condition.
Beyond ritual manuals, the Agni Purana also systematizes moral causality in the afterlife—linking narrative (Preta-rāja and a merchant) with doctrinal instruction on karma and its fruition.
The verse underscores that merit is not lost: even in suffering states, beings undergo the definite fruition of good deeds—encouraging sustained dharmic action as a safeguard across lives and post-death states.
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