Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 16
Adhyaya 236 — श्रीस्तोत्रम् (Śrī-stotra) / Hymn to Śrī (Lakṣmī) for Royal Stability and Victory
सद्यो वैगुण्यमायान्ति शीलाद्याः सकला गुणाः पराङ्मुखी जगद्धात्री यस्य त्वं विष्णुवल्लभे
sadyo vaiguṇyamāyānti śīlādyāḥ sakalā guṇāḥ parāṅmukhī jagaddhātrī yasya tvaṃ viṣṇuvallabhe
Ô bien-aimée de Viṣṇu, pour celui de qui tu te détournes—toi, Jagaddhātrī, soutien du monde—toutes les vertus, telle la bonne conduite, deviennent aussitôt défectueuses et déclinent.
Lord Agni (narrating a stotra context within the Agni Purana’s devotional instruction)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Stotra","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Serves as a cautionary devotional teaching: maintain alignment with Śrī (Lakṣmī) through dharma and bhakti, since her withdrawal signifies decline of virtues and auspiciousness.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Śrī-viyoga: decline of guṇa when Lakṣmī turns away","lookup_keywords":["Viṣṇuvallabhā","Jagaddhātrī","śrī-viyoga","guṇa-kṣaya","parāṅmukhī"],"quick_summary":"When Lakṣmī (world-sustainer, beloved of Viṣṇu) turns away from a person, virtues like good conduct quickly deteriorate—an ethical-theological warning."}
Alamkara Type: Vyatireka (contrast)
Concept: Auspiciousness (śrī) is not merely wealth but the sustaining principle behind virtues; separation from it leads to ethical decay.
Application: Sustain śīla through daily worship, generosity, and restraint; treat prosperity as dharma-supported, not self-sufficient.
Khanda Section: Stotra / Devi-Vishnu-bhakti (Praise of Lakshmi as Vishnu’s beloved; devotional-theological passage)
Primary Rasa: karuṇa
Secondary Rasa: bhayānaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Lakṣmī, beloved of Viṣṇu, turns her face away from a person; as she withdraws, the person’s aura dims and symbols of virtue and prosperity fade.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: Lakṣmī beside Viṣṇu, shown in three-quarter profile turning away from a kneeling figure; fading lotus and dimming lamps symbolize declining guṇa; strong outlines, traditional palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: Lakṣmī with gold halo, slightly averted; the devotee below appears shadowed; prosperity symbols (coins, grains) shown receding; ornate gold work contrasts with the dimmed lower area.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: narrative split-panel—left: Lakṣmī facing the devotee with bright colors; right: Lakṣmī turned away, colors muted; clear instructional composition.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: allegorical court scene; goddess in a balcony niche turns away; the subject’s attendants and fortune symbols depart; intricate architecture and subdued tones."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Tōḍī","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vaiguṇyam+āyānti → vaiguṇyamāyānti; śīla+ādyāḥ → śīlādyāḥ; jagat+dhātrī → jagaddhātrī (t + dh → ddh).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 236.14 (opposite claim: glance bestows guṇa); Agni Purana 236.17 (prayer not to be abandoned)
FAQs
It conveys devotional-theological instruction: virtues (guṇas) are understood to flourish through Śrī/Lakṣmī’s grace, so worship and reverence toward Lakṣmī-Viṣṇu are implied as the practical means to sustain auspicious qualities.
Alongside its many technical subjects, the Agni Purana also preserves stotras and bhakti theology; this verse functions as a concise doctrinal statement linking prosperity/Śrī with ethical excellence, showing the text’s integration of devotion, ethics, and cosmological personifications.
The verse teaches that losing Śrī (Lakṣmī’s favor) results in immediate erosion of character and merit; spiritually, it urges sustained devotion and righteous conduct to remain aligned with auspiciousness and dharmic stability.