Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 2
Chapter 244 — चामरादिलक्षणम् / आयुधलक्षणादि
Characteristics of the Fly-whisk and Related Royal Emblems; Weapon Characteristics
पक्षैर् वाथ बलाकाया न कार्यं मिश्रपक्षकैः न शथेति छ जठरमित्यादिः, ततो गुणा इत्य् अन्तः पाठः घ , ञ , पुस्तकद्वये नास्ति चतुरस्यं ब्राह्मणस्य वृत्तं राज्ञश् च शुक्लकं
pakṣair vātha balākāyā na kāryaṃ miśrapakṣakaiḥ na śatheti cha jaṭharamityādiḥ, tato guṇā ity antaḥ pāṭhaḥ gha , ña , pustakadvaye nāsti caturasyaṃ brāhmaṇasya vṛttaṃ rājñaś ca śuklakaṃ
Avec les ailes d’une balākā (grue), on ne doit pas entreprendre une tâche en utilisant des ailes mêlées (dépareillées). (Certains manuscrits ajoutent des leçons telles que « na śatheti … jaṭharam ityādiḥ »; et dans deux copies la leçon interne finale « tato guṇāḥ » est absente.) Ceci est cité comme illustration (śuklaka) concernant la conduite d’un brāhmaṇa avisé et d’un roi.
Lord Agni (traditional frame: Agni instructing Vasiṣṭha; verse here functions as a didactic/poetics citation with manuscript notes)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Use as a niti-illustration (dṛṣṭānta) and as a textual-critical note on variant readings; teaches appropriateness and non-mixture of incompatible means.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Dṛṣṭānta (Śuklaka): do not use mismatched wings (means)","lookup_keywords":["balākā (crane)","miśra-pakṣa","dṛṣṭānta","śuklaka","nīti"],"quick_summary":"A proverb-like illustration: do not attempt an undertaking with mismatched wings—i.e., do not combine incompatible means. The verse also preserves manuscript-variant notes, showing scholastic transmission."}
Alamkara Type: Dṛṣṭānta (illustrative analogy)
Concept: Aucitya (appropriateness): success requires coherent, non-contradictory instruments and conduct.
Application: In governance and personal action, avoid patchwork strategies; align resources, allies, and methods to the task.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Kavya/Alankara and Niti-illustrations)
Primary Rasa: Hāsya
Secondary Rasa: Śānta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A crane attempting to fly with mismatched wings (one different bird wing), illustrating failure/awkwardness; alongside a courtly vignette of a clever brāhmaṇa and a king as the cited śuklaka example.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized crane with asymmetrical wings, humorous didactic tone, secondary panel showing brāhmaṇa advising a king in court, bold outlines and flat colors.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central crane with mismatched wings framed by ornate borders, small inset of king and brāhmaṇa, gold leaf accents highlighting the moral emblem.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional split-scene: left crane with mixed wings labeled by visual cues, right a king receiving counsel from a clever brāhmaṇa, fine linework and soft palette.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, naturalistic bird study of a crane with one foreign wing, humorous court anecdote in background with king and brāhmaṇa, detailed landscape and architectural elements."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Khamaj","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: pakṣair → pakṣaiḥ; jaṭharamityādiḥ → jaṭharam + iti + ādiḥ; rājñaś ca → rājñaḥ + ca (visarga sandhi). Note: This item contains editorial/critical apparatus; several words function as variant-reading markers rather than verse syntax.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 244 (didactic/nīti illustrations around royal protocol)
FAQs
It imparts a didactic nyāya used in kāvya/poetics: do not attempt an undertaking with incompatible means (symbolized by “mixed wings”).
Alongside ritual and polity, the Agni Purana also teaches literary theory and didactic exempla; this verse functions as a stock illustration for conduct (of brāhmaṇa and king) and even preserves manuscript-variant awareness.
It promotes dhārmic prudence: right ends should be pursued with proper, coherent means—avoiding crooked or mismatched methods that lead to failure and demerit.