Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 9
Duties outside the Varṇa Order (वर्णेतरधर्माः) — Agni Purana, Chapter 151
कृषिगोरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यस्य परिकीर्तितं शूद्रस्य द्विजशुश्रूषा सर्वशिल्पानि वाप्यथ
kṛṣigorakṣyavāṇijyaṃ vaiśyasya parikīrtitaṃ śūdrasya dvijaśuśrūṣā sarvaśilpāni vāpyatha
ಕೃಷಿ, ಗೋ ರಕ್ಷಣೆ ಮತ್ತು ವಾಣಿಜ್ಯವು ವೈಶ್ಯನ ವೃತ್ತಿ ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಲಾಗಿದೆ; ಶೂದ್ರನಿಗೆ ದ್ವಿಜರ ಸೇವೆ ಹಾಗೂ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಶಿಲ್ಪಕರ್ಮಗಳ ಆಚರಣೆಯೂ (ವಿಧೇಯ)ವಾಗಿದೆ।
Lord Agni (in discourse to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Maps economic roles: vaiśya as agrarian-pastoral-commercial backbone; śūdra as service and crafts workforce—useful for understanding traditional division of labor and guild/craft organization.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Vaiśya-vṛtti and Śūdra-vṛtti: kṛṣi, go-rakṣya, vāṇijya; śuśrūṣā and śilpa","lookup_keywords":["vaishya","krishi","gorakshya","vanijya","shilpa"],"quick_summary":"Assigns vaiśya occupations—farming, cattle protection, trade—and śūdra duties—service and crafts. Functions as a socio-economic taxonomy for production and services."}
Concept: Society is sustained by complementary functions: production (agriculture, cattle, trade) and skilled labor/service (crafts).
Application: Administrative planning: ensure protection of farms/cattle routes/markets; support artisan guilds (śilpa) and fair service relations.
Khanda Section: Varna-ashrama-dharma (Social duties and occupations)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A composite economic panorama: farmers ploughing fields, cowherds tending cattle, merchants weighing goods in a market; artisans crafting tools and textiles; a household scene of service to dvijas.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: horizontal frieze showing kṛṣi (plough and oxen), go-rakṣya (cows with herdsman), vāṇijya (market with scales), and śilpa (artisan at workbench), stylized figures and decorative borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: richly ornamented market and agrarian scenes with gold highlights on vessels, jewelry, and textiles; artisans and merchants in balanced composition; temple-like frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: clean instructional depiction of occupations—agriculture, cattle care, trade, crafts—each vignette detailed (tools, looms, scales), soft palette and precise linework.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: bustling bazaar with merchants and scales, detailed rural background with ploughing and cattle, artisans at workshops; fine architectural and costume detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कृषिगोरक्ष्यवाणिज्यम् → कृषि-गोरक्ष्य-वाणिज्यम्; वाप्यथ → वा अपि अथ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana nīti passages on taxation, trade, and protection of subjects; Agni Purana śilpa/kalā-related descriptions (craft knowledge)
FAQs
It codifies occupational dharma: the Vaiśya’s economic functions (farming, cattle-rearing/protection, commerce) and the Śūdra’s livelihood through service and skilled crafts.
Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical socio-economic instruction—mapping duties and professions—showing it functions as a compendium of religion, ethics, and governance.
By performing one’s prescribed duties (svadharma) without transgression, a person sustains social harmony and accrues merit (puṇya) through righteous livelihood aligned with dharma.