Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 16
Adhyaya 223 — Rājadharmāḥ
Royal Duties: Inner Palace Governance, Trivarga Protection, Courtly Conduct, and Aromatic/Hygienic Sciences
करजाङ्काङ्कितान्यस्य फलानि प्रेषयत्यपि तत्प्रेषितञ्च हृदये विन्यसत्यपि चादरात्
karajāṅkāṅkitānyasya phalāni preṣayatyapi tatpreṣitañca hṛdaye vinyasatyapi cādarāt
Même s’il envoie des fruits marqués de son propre signe de la main, et même s’il place avec révérence dans son cœur ce qui lui a été envoyé par ce dévot, cet acte est reçu comme une offrande de dévotion (bhakti).
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s didactic narration)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Stotra","practical_application":"Devotional offering protocol: accepting even simple, personally-marked gifts as valid bhakti when offered with reverence and internalized remembrance.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Bhakti-upacara: Hand-marked fruit offering and heart-placement","lookup_keywords":["karaja-anka","phala-dana","hridaya-vinyasa","bhakti-upahara","puja-vidhi"],"quick_summary":"Offerings need not be elaborate; even fruits marked by the devotee’s own sign are accepted when received with adara and mentally installed in the heart as a devotional act."}
Concept: Antaryaga (inner worship) validates outer offering; intention and reverent reception complete the act.
Application: In daily puja, sanctify gifts by mindful acceptance and heart-centered remembrance rather than focusing on cost or grandeur.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Dāna–vrata–phala and devotional observances)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee presents fruits bearing a personal hand-mark; the recipient/deity-figure accepts them with reverence, then places the offering to the heart in a gesture of inner worship.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat warm palette, stylized devotee offering hand-marked fruits on a brass plate, serene deity/acharya receiving, right hand touching chest to signify hridaya-vinyasa, temple lamp and lotus motifs, crisp outlines","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf haloed deity seated, devotee offering fruits with visible hand-sign marks, ornate arch, rich reds and greens, embossed jewelry, gesture of placing offering to heart, devotional ambience","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, delicate lines and soft shading, instructional depiction of offering sequence: fruit with hand-mark, acceptance, then hand to heart, minimal background with puja items (kalasha, lamp)","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly devotional scene, fine detailing of fruits with small inked hand-signs, respectful exchange, subtle gesture of hand on chest, patterned textiles and architectural niche"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: करजाङ्काङ्कितानि = करज-अङ्क-अङ्कितानि; तत्प्रेषितञ्च = तत्-प्रेषितम् + च; चादरात् = च + आदरात्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Puja-vidhi sections on upacara, dana-phala, and bhakti-lakshana (same khanda context)
FAQs
It conveys a puja-vidhi principle: offerings (here, fruits) may be sent with an identifying hand-mark, and the recipient’s reverent inner acceptance—placing it “in the heart”—is itself treated as a valid devotional reception.
It documents a practical ritual detail about offerings and devotional protocol (including distance/mediated offering and internalized acceptance), illustrating the Agni Purana’s wide coverage of applied religious procedure alongside other sciences.
The emphasis on “ādara” (reverence) and heartfelt reception teaches that intention and devotional sincerity sanctify the act, making the offering spiritually efficacious even when mediated or performed indirectly.