Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 5
The Livelihood of the Householder (गृहस्थवृत्तिः) — Agni Purana, Chapter 152
ऋतामृताभ्यां जीवेत मृतेन प्रमृतेन वा सत्यानृताभ्यामपिवा न स्ववृत्त्या कदा च न
ṛtāmṛtābhyāṃ jīveta mṛtena pramṛtena vā satyānṛtābhyāmapivā na svavṛttyā kadā ca na
ຄວນດຳລົງຊີວິດດ້ວຍ ṛta ແລະ amṛta ຫຼືດ້ວຍ mṛta ແລະ pramṛta; ແມ່ນແຕ່ດ້ວຍຄວາມຈິງປົນຄວາມບໍ່ຈິງກໍໄດ້—ແຕ່ບໍ່ຄວນເລີຍ ໃນເວລາໃດໆ ທີ່ຈະດຳລົງຊີວິດດ້ວຍອາຊີບຕ່ຳຊ້າຂອງຕົນ ອັນຂັດຕໍ່ຄວາມປະພຶດອັນຖືກຕ້ອງ।
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purāṇa’s standard narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Provides an ethical hierarchy of livelihood modes (ṛta/amṛta/mṛta/pramṛta) and warns against ignoble self-serving conduct, guiding personal and civic integrity in earning.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Ṛta–Amṛta–Mṛta–Pramṛta: Modes of Livelihood","lookup_keywords":["ṛta","amṛta","mṛta","pramṛta","ājīvikā"],"quick_summary":"One should live by approved means (variously classified as ṛta/amṛta etc.); even mixed truth/untruth may occur in worldly dealings, but one must never adopt a base livelihood that violates right conduct."}
Concept: Ājīvikā must align with sadācāra; moral compromise in speech may be contextually tolerated, but corrupt livelihood is categorically rejected.
Application: Personal ethics for professions: avoid exploitative trades, fraud, and harmful occupations; choose sustenance compatible with dharma and social welfare.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Niti-shastra (Ethics of livelihood and conduct)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A teacher-sage instructs householders; four labeled paths of livelihood are shown symbolically, with a barred/forbidden path representing base conduct.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, guru seated with palm-leaf manuscript, four symbolic panels for ṛta/amṛta/mṛta/pramṛta, the ‘adharma-vṛtti’ panel darkened, strong iconographic clarity","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, sage with gold halo, four medallions naming livelihood modes, ornate frame, moral emphasis with a red ‘prohibited’ motif on base livelihood","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, diagrammatic instructional scene: guru, students, four pathways with short labels, gentle colors and fine linework for didactic readability","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate teaching circle, calligraphic labels for the four terms, subtle allegorical vignettes of honest trade vs corrupt trade"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Kalyan","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ṛtāmṛtābhyāṃ = ṛta + amṛtābhyām (dvandva); satyānṛtābhyāmapivā = satya-anṛtābhyām + api + vā; svavṛttyā = sva-vṛttyā.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Rajadharma—ājīvikā, sadācāra, and vyavahāra ethics (immediate context)
FAQs
It teaches a graded ethic of livelihood (vṛtti-dharma): prefer blameless, lawful means (ṛta/amṛta); in hardship, lesser or exceptional means may be tolerated, but one must not adopt an inherently ignoble/adharmic profession as one’s standing livelihood.
Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical governance and social ethics (nīti/rajadharma), including nuanced rules for earning, speech, and survival—showing its wide-ranging, handbook-like scope.
It prioritizes purity of means and intention: sustaining life is allowed with graded concessions in crisis, but normalizing adharmic livelihood is karmically corrosive and undermines one’s dharma and inner purity.