Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 14
Chapter 228 — स्वप्नाध्यायः
Svapnādhāyaḥ / Chapter on Dreams
तन्त्रीवाद्यविनोदश्चेत्यादिः, तैलस्य कृशरस्य चेत्यन्तः पाठः छ , झ पुस्तकद्वये नास्ति विवाहोत्सव एव चेति ज तासामेव च मैथुनमिति ज हानिश् चैवेत्यादिः क्रीडनं तथेत्यन्तः पाठः ज पुस्तके नास्ति स्नेहपानावगाहौ च रक्तमाल्यानुलेपनं इत्यधान्यानि स्वप्नानि तेषामकथनं शुभं
tantrīvādyavinodaścetyādiḥ, tailasya kṛśarasya cetyantaḥ pāṭhaḥ cha , jha pustakadvaye nāsti vivāhotsava eva ceti ja tāsāmeva ca maithunamiti ja hāniś caivetyādiḥ krīḍanaṃ tathetyantaḥ pāṭhaḥ ja pustake nāsti snehapānāvagāhau ca raktamālyānulepanaṃ ityadhānyāni svapnāni teṣāmakathanaṃ śubhaṃ
‘തന്ത്രിവാദ്യ‑വിനോദം’ മുതൽ ‘തൈലവും കൃശരവും’ വരെ ഉള്ള പാഠം ഛ, ഝ ഹസ്തപ്രതികളിൽ കാണുന്നില്ല. ജ ഹസ്തപ്രതിയിൽ ‘വിവാഹോത്സവം മാത്രമേ’ എന്നും ‘അവരോടുതന്നെ മൈഥുനം’ എന്നും പാഠമുണ്ട്. ‘ഹാനി…’ മുതൽ ‘…ക്രീഡനം തഥാ’ വരെ ഉള്ള ഭാഗവും ജ യിൽ ഇല്ല. നെയ്യ്/എണ്ണ കുടിക്കൽ, സ്നിഗ്ധ ദ്രവത്തിൽ അവഗാഹനം, ചുവന്ന മാല ധരിക്കൽ, ശരീരത്തിൽ ലേപനം—ഇത്തരം സ്വപ്നങ്ങൾ മറ്റുള്ളവരോട് പറയാതിരിക്കുക ശുഭകരമെന്ന് പറയുന്നു।
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana narrator) to sage Vasiṣṭha
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Jyotisha","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Interpreting dream-omens (svapna-phala) and applying the practical rule that certain auspicious dreams should not be disclosed to preserve their benefic effect.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Svapna-śāstra: śubha-svapna and the rule of non-disclosure","lookup_keywords":["svapna-śāstra","śubha-svapna","anākhyāna","snehapāna","rakta-mālya"],"quick_summary":"Dreams involving unction (drinking ghee/oil), immersion, red garlands, and anointing are treated as auspicious—especially when kept private; the verse also preserves manuscript-variant notes typical of transmitted svapna lists."}
Dosha: Vata
Concept: Svapna as a nimitta (omen) whose efficacy is affected by speech/reticence; secrecy preserves śubha-phala.
Application: Keep a private dream-note rather than public telling; use it as a cue for increased śauca and worship.
Khanda Section: Jyotisha (Svapna-śāstra / Dream Omens)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sleeper experiences vivid auspicious imagery: drinking ghee/oil, bathing in unctuous liquid, wearing red garlands, and being anointed—followed by a gesture of silence (not telling others).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, split scene: sleeping figure on a mat; above, dream-cloud with red garlands, golden ghṛta vessel, anointing attendants; a finger-to-lips gesture indicating secrecy, flat iconic forms","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central auspicious dream symbols with gold-leaf vessels of ghṛta and ornate red garlands, the dreamer below in repose, rich decorative halo-like framing of dream motifs","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional panel layout: four small vignettes (snehapāna, avagāha, rakta-mālya, anulepana) with captions implied, refined linework and soft palette","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate bedroom scene with a dream-vision cloud showing attendants anointing the dreamer and offering a golden bowl of ghee, red garlands rendered with fine detail, subtle gesture of discretion"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Khamaj","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: This item contains extensive critical-apparatus prose (pāṭha-variants). Pada analysis provided for the main readable śloka portion: तन्त्रीवाद्यविनोदः ... स्नेहपानावगाहौ च रक्तमाल्यानुलेपनम् ... स्वप्नानि तेषाम् अकथनं शुभम्. Sandhi: तन्त्रीवाद्यविनोदः = तन्त्री-वाद्य-विनोदः; स्नेहपानावगाहौ = स्नेहपान + अवगाहौ (dvandva); रक्तमाल्यानुलेपनम् = रक्त-माल्य-अनुलेपनम्; तेषामकथनं = तेषाम् + अकथनम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana svapna-phala passages in adhyāya 228 (preceding/following lists of dreams)
FAQs
It gives a Svapna-śāstra rule: certain auspicious dreams (e.g., involving unctuous substances, red garlands, anointing) retain their benefic effect when kept confidential—i.e., not narrated to others.
It shows the text functioning as a compendium by preserving practical omen-lore (dream results) alongside editorial/manuscript traditions, indicating how Purāṇic knowledge was transmitted and applied in everyday decision-making.
The instruction implies that discretion protects the merit/auspicious momentum of a favorable dream; broadcasting it is treated as diminishing its positive karmic fruition.