Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 3
अध्याय १६२ — धर्मशास्त्रकथनम्
Dharmaśāstra Exposition: Authorities, Pravṛtti–Nivṛtti, Upākarman, and Anadhyāya Rules
तथा वक्ष्ये समासेन भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं शृणु प्रवृत्तञ्च निवृत्तञ्च द्विविधङ्कर्म वैदिकं
tathā vakṣye samāsena bhuktimuktipradaṃ śṛṇu pravṛttañca nivṛttañca dvividhaṅkarma vaidikaṃ
ដូច្នេះ ខ្ញុំនឹងពន្យល់ដោយសង្ខេប—សូមស្តាប់—អ្វីដែលប្រទានទាំងសុខលោកិយ និងមោក្សៈ។ កម្មវេដិកមានពីរប្រភេទ គឺ ផ្លូវប្រព្រឹត្តិ (pravṛtti) និងផ្លូវនិវೃತ್ತិ (nivṛtti)។
Lord Agni
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Discriminate between pravṛtti (duty/ritual/action for worldly ends) and nivṛtti (renunciatory orientation) to choose an appropriate life-path and align Vedic practice with one’s goal (bhukti or mukti).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Dvividhakarma: Pravṛtti–Nivṛtti (Vaidika Karma)","lookup_keywords":["pravṛtti","nivṛtti","vaidika-karma","bhukti","mukti"],"quick_summary":"Vedic action is classified into two orientations: engagement for worldly welfare and renunciation aimed at liberation. The verse frames the Purāṇic dharma teaching as a goal-based map for practice."}
Concept: Twofold Vedic path: pravṛtti for bhukti and nivṛtti for mukti; dharma is goal-oriented and method-specific.
Application: Use the twofold scheme to evaluate duties: perform obligatory/social rites without confusion, and cultivate renunciation when liberation is the aim.
Khanda Section: Karma-yoga & Dharma-shastra (Pravṛtti–Nivṛtti Vibhāga)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A teacher-sage instructs a seated disciple, presenting two paths—one leading to household rites and prosperity, the other to forest renunciation and liberation—symbolized by two diverging roads or two scales labeled pravṛtti and nivṛtti.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, warm earthy palette, a rishi with palm-leaf manuscript teaching a disciple; two symbolic pathways behind them—village yajña scene on one side, forest ascetic meditation on the other; ornate borders, temple-wall composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central guru figure with halo and gold leaf, disciple in añjali; two gold-embossed panels: pravṛtti with yajña fire and household prosperity, nivṛtti with ascetic and lotus of mokṣa; rich reds and greens.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, fine linework, instructional diagram feel: two labeled branches ‘pravṛtti’ and ‘nivṛtti’ emerging from ‘vaidika karma’; calm sage and student; subtle gold highlights.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly atelier scene of a scholar explaining a bifurcated chart; detailed landscape split—town ritual vs forest hermitage; delicate textiles, precise calligraphy labels."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रवृत्तञ्च = प्रवृत्तम् + च; निवृत्तञ्च = निवृत्तम् + च; द्विविधङ्कर्म = द्विविधम् + कर्म; भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं treated as भुक्ति-मुक्ति-प्रदम् (समास).
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Mokṣa-dharma / Nivṛtti sections (self-knowledge, sense-restraint, ahiṃsā); Agni Purana: Dharma-kāṇḍa discussions on vaidika karma and āśrama duties
FAQs
It classifies Vedic karma into two operational frameworks—pravṛtti (engaged performance of duties/rites for ordered life and results) and nivṛtti (withdrawal/renunciatory discipline oriented to release).
By systematizing a core dharma-theory used across ritual, ethics, and liberation teachings, it links practical Vedic duty (social-ritual order) with mokṣa-oriented renunciation—showing the text’s broad scope from worldly governance to spiritual soteriology.
It frames karma as a graded means: pravṛtti supports lawful enjoyment and merit, while nivṛtti directs the practitioner toward detachment and liberation—together presenting a complete Vedic path to both bhukti and mukti.