Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 3
Chapter 21 — सामान्यपूजाकथनम्
Teaching on General Worship
पृथिवीं धर्मकं ज्ञानं वैराग्यैश्वर्यमेव च अधर्मादीन् कन्दनालपद्मकेशरकर्णिकाः
pṛthivīṃ dharmakaṃ jñānaṃ vairāgyaiśvaryameva ca adharmādīn kandanālapadmakeśarakarṇikāḥ
പൃഥ്വിയെ മൂലമായി, ധർമ്മത്തെ കണ്ഡം/തണ്ട് ആയി, ജ്ഞാനത്തെ പദ്മമായി കരുതണം; വൈരാഗ്യവും ഐശ്വര്യവും അതിന്റെ കേസരവും കർണികയും പോലെയാണ്. അധർമ്മം മുതലായവ ഇതിന് വിരുദ്ധമായ മലിനീകരക തത്ത്വങ്ങളായി ബോധിക്കണം।
Lord Agni (in discourse to the sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Uses a lotus-plant analogy to teach tattva-viveka: mapping ethical and spiritual qualities onto a structured image to aid contemplation and discrimination between dharma and adharma.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Padma-śarīra-dṛṣṭānta: mapping dharma–jñāna–vairāgya–aiśvarya onto lotus parts","lookup_keywords":["padma-dṛṣṭānta","dharma","jñāna","vairāgya","aiśvarya"],"quick_summary":"A mnemonic metaphor: earth as root, dharma as stalk, knowledge as lotus, dispassion and lordship as filaments/seed-cup—implying a structured growth of virtues, with adharma as the defiling opposite."}
Alamkara Type: Rupaka
Concept: Virtues arise in an ordered dependence: dharma supports jñāna; vairāgya and aiśvarya are higher perfections; adharma is the counter-force that corrupts the same field of experience.
Application: Use the lotus visualization in meditation/self-audit: strengthen the ‘stalk’ (ethical discipline) to sustain ‘lotus’ (knowledge), and cultivate dispassion to prevent adharma from polluting the mind.
Khanda Section: Sankhya-Yoga / Tattva-viveka (Lotus-body metaphor for dharma and adharma)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A symbolic lotus diagram: from earth/root rises a stalk labeled dharma, blooming into a lotus labeled jñāna; filaments and seed-cup labeled vairāgya and aiśvarya; shadowy opposing labels indicate adharma and defilements.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: large central lotus emerging from earth; inscriptions on petals for jñāna, on stalk for dharma; filaments glowing for vairāgya/aiśvarya; darker tendrils around representing adharma; bold contours and traditional palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: ornate lotus with gold-highlighted filaments and seed-cup; earth base richly textured; calligraphic labels; devotional-symbolic composition with heavy gilding on the lotus aura.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: clean pedagogic illustration—lotus cross-section with labeled parts; subtle shading; emphasis on clarity and proportion; minimal ornamentation.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: a philosopher-sage teaching students, pointing to a painted lotus chart on a folio; naturalistic lotus and earth tones; fine border work and neat nastaʿlīq-like caption panels (in Indic script styling)."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वैराग्यैश्वर्यमेव→वैराग्य-ऐश्वर्यम् एव; अधर्मादीन्→अधर्म-आदीन्; कन्दनालपद्मकेशरकर्णिकाः treated as multi-member compound (collective dvandva).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 21 (Sāṅkhya-Yoga / tattva-viveka context); Agni Purana sections on Sāṅkhya categories and guṇas (contextual)
FAQs
It imparts tattva-viveka (discriminative classification) using a lotus-body analogy: dharma, jñāna, vairāgya, and aiśvarya are mapped as structural supports of spiritual growth, while adharma and related faults are identified as the opposing defilements.
The verse demonstrates the Purāṇa’s compendium style by compressing ethical philosophy (dharma/adharma), yogic virtues (vairāgya), and metaphysical attainment (aiśvarya) into a technical mnemonic image (lotus morphology), bridging doctrine and pedagogy.
By treating dharma and knowledge as the supporting ‘stalk and lotus’ of life, it frames right conduct and discernment as karmically elevating foundations, while warning that adharma and allied faults corrode the inner structure of spiritual progress.