Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 13
Duties outside the Varṇa Order (वर्णेतरधर्माः) — Agni Purana, Chapter 151
वैश्यायां प्रतिलोमेभ्यः प्रतिलोमाः सहस्रशः धर्मरूपमिति ग , घ , ङ , ञ च विवाहः सदृशैस्तेषां नोत्तमैर् नाधमैस् तथा
vaiśyāyāṃ pratilomebhyaḥ pratilomāḥ sahasraśaḥ dharmarūpamiti ga , gha , ṅa , ña ca vivāhaḥ sadṛśaisteṣāṃ nottamair nādhamais tathā
D’une femme vaiśyā, par des unions pratiloma (d’ordre inversé), naissent d’innombrables lignées pratiloma. Pour eux, la forme licite du mariage, conforme au dharma, est indiquée par les classes ga, gha, ṅa et ña ; et ils doivent s’unir à des personnes de rang comparable, ni plus élevé ni plus bas.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Vasiṣṭha, as typical for Agni Purāṇa narration)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Guidance for regulating marriage alliances among pratiloma-derived groups: endogamy within comparable strata, avoiding hypergamy/hypogamy; useful for community governance and dispute avoidance in the text’s normative system.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Vivāha-niyama for pratiloma lineages (ga/gha/ṅa/ña classes)","lookup_keywords":["vivāha","pratiloma","endogamy","ga gha ṅa ña","sadṛśa"],"quick_summary":"States that pratiloma lineages proliferate and prescribes marriage only among similar standing groups, neither higher nor lower, indicating a rule-set for alliance regulation."}
Concept: Social dharma is maintained through regulated vivāha boundaries (sadṛśa-vivāha) for groups produced by pratiloma unions.
Application: Rule-of-thumb for adjudicating acceptable matches: marry within equivalent groupings; avoid alliances that create status disputes.
Khanda Section: Dharma-śāstra / Varṇa-saṅkara & Vivāha-vidhi (Social law and marriage rules)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A marriage-negotiation scene in a dharma court: elders compare two family lineages on a written register marked with ga/gha/ṅa/ña categories, approving a match only when both sides are ‘sadṛśa’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, village/court elders seated in a semicircle, palm-leaf register with ga/gha/ṅa/ña marks, bride and groom families standing respectfully, flat iconic figures, warm earthy palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ceremonial betrothal with gold-leaf ornaments, central elders holding a scroll with ga/gha/ṅa/ña, symmetrical composition, rich textiles and temple-like arch backdrop.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional marriage vetting scene, fine lines and gentle shading, a scribe presenting a lineage chart, elders pointing to matching categories, calm domestic-civic setting.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed indoor pavilion with carpets, elders reviewing a genealogical document, subtle gestures of approval/denial, ornate borders and calligraphic category letters."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सदृशैस्तेषां = सदृशैः + तेषाम्; नोत्तमैर् = न + उत्तमैः; नाधमैस् = न + अधमैः. (ग, घ, ङ, ञ are letter-names as given in the text.)
Related Themes: Agni Purana 151 (vivāha-vidhi and varṇa-saṅkara subsections)
FAQs
It gives a dharma-śāstric rule: pratiloma-derived groups should contract marriage only within comparable status (sadṛśa), avoiding hypergamy and hypogamy; it also references technical category labels (ga, gha, ṅa, ña) used to mark such groups.
Beyond theology, it preserves normative social jurisprudence—classification of mixed lineages and regulated marriage patterns—showing the Purāṇa’s coverage of law-like social governance alongside ritual and doctrine.
By prescribing marriages deemed 'dharmarūpa' (conforming to dharma), it frames social conduct as karmically consequential: orderly unions are treated as supportive of social and ritual purity, while prohibited crossings are implied to generate disorder and demerit.