Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 23
Chapter 38 — देवालयनिर्माणफलं
The Merit of Constructing a Temple
नोपभोगाय बन्धूनां व्यर्थस्तस्य धनागमः यथा ध्रुवो नृणां मृत्युर्वित्तनाशस् तथा ध्रुवः
nopabhogāya bandhūnāṃ vyarthastasya dhanāgamaḥ yathā dhruvo nṛṇāṃ mṛtyurvittanāśas tathā dhruvaḥ
ബന്ധുക്കളുടെ ഭോഗവും പോഷണവും വേണ്ടി ധനം ഉപയോഗിക്കാത്തവന് ധനലാഭം വ്യർത്ഥം. മനുഷ്യർക്കു മരണം നിശ്ചിതമായതുപോലെ ധനനാശവും നിശ്ചിതമാണ്।
Lord Agni (teaching sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s didactic frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Use wealth to maintain and uplift one’s family network (bāndhava-bharaṇa), and plan with impermanence in mind—avoid hoarding; convert surplus into durable merit (dāna, yajña, public works).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Vṛthā-dhanāgama: wealth is futile without kin-support; certainty of death and wealth-loss","lookup_keywords":["bāndhava upabhoga","vṛthā dhanāgama","vittanāśa dhruva","anityatā","dhananīti"],"quick_summary":"Riches have purpose only when they support dependents and rightful enjoyment; since death and loss of wealth are both certain, one should not treat wealth as permanent."}
Alamkara Type: Dṛṣṭānta (illustrative analogy)
Concept: Anityatā of artha: death is fixed, and wealth’s loss is likewise inevitable; therefore artha must be converted into dharma and welfare.
Application: Adopt ‘use-it-for-dharma-and-dependents’ policy: allocate income to family support, charity, and religious duties; keep reserves but avoid miserly accumulation.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Dhananiti (Ethics of wealth, household duty, and impermanence)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vairagya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A wealthy man ignores his relatives while coins spill from a broken pot; in the background a funeral procession passes, showing death’s certainty and wealth’s instability.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, symbolic scene: householder with overflowing coin pot, neglected kin at doorway, Yama’s presence hinted in stylized form, funeral bier in distance, bold outlines and flat color fields","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, gold accents on coin vessels and ornaments; central figure holding wealth, relatives pleading, a small vignette of cremation ground at side, ornate borders and halos for moral emphasis","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear narrative panels: (1) acquisition of wealth, (2) refusal to support kin, (3) death scene, (4) wealth lost—soft shading and fine lines","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, domestic courtyard with relatives seated, miserly patron turning away; parallel scene of funeral procession on street; detailed architecture, textiles, and subdued moral tone"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नोपभोगाय → न + उपभोगाय; व्यर्थस्तस्य → व्यर्थः + तस्य; मृत्युर्वित्तनाशस् → मृत्युः + वित्तनाशः (visarga sandhi).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma/Dhananīti passages on artha, dāna, and anityatā
FAQs
It imparts practical dharma-nīti: wealth should be applied toward the welfare and rightful enjoyment/support of one’s family and dependents; hoarding without benefitting kin is deemed purposeless.
Alongside rituals, cosmology, and arts, the Agni Purana also preserves social ethics and governance-oriented instruction (rajadharma/dhananīti), offering guidance on economic conduct and household responsibility.
It frames wealth as transient and ethically charged: using it for duty and support reduces attachment and aligns one’s conduct with dharma, while miserliness and hoarding are portrayed as spiritually barren due to inevitable loss.