Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 46
अध्याय ३८० — गीतासारः
The Essence of the Gītā
सात्त्विकञ्च तपो ऽकामं फलाद्यर्थन्तु राजसं तामसं परपीडायै सात्त्विकं दानमुच्यते
sāttvikañca tapo 'kāmaṃ phalādyarthantu rājasaṃ tāmasaṃ parapīḍāyai sāttvikaṃ dānamucyate
ആഗ്രഹമില്ലാതെ ചെയ്യുന്ന തപസ് സാത്ത്വികം; ഫലാദി ലക്ഷ്യമാക്കി ചെയ്യുന്ന തപസ് രാജസം; മറ്റുള്ളവരെ പീഡിപ്പിക്കാൻ ചെയ്യുന്ന തപസ് താമസം. ശുദ്ധാശയത്തോടെ ചെയ്യുന്ന ദാനവും സാത്ത്വികമെന്നു പറയുന്നു।
Lord Agni (in discourse to the sage Vasiṣṭha, as the usual narrative frame of the Agni Purāṇa)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Classify austerity and charity by intention and effect (sattva/rajas/tamas) to guide ethical religious practice.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Tri-guṇa Lakṣaṇa of Tapaḥ and Dāna","lookup_keywords":["sattvika tapas","rajasa tapas","tamasa tapas","triguna dana","parapidana"],"quick_summary":"Austerity without desire is sāttvika; result-seeking is rājasa; harming others is tāmasa. Charity is sāttvika when given with pure intent aligned to sattva."}
Concept: Guṇa-based evaluation of religious acts: intention (kāma/niṣkāma) and harm/non-harm determine moral quality.
Application: Before tapas or dāna, audit motive: remove desire for fame/fruit; reject practices that cause injury; prefer compassionate, steady disciplines.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra (Triguna classification of religious acts: tapaḥ & dāna)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: dharmya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Three panels showing tapas: (1) calm meditator with simple diet (sattva), (2) performer seeking praise with onlookers and gifts (rajas), (3) harsh act causing harm (tamas); alongside a pure charity scene.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural triptych composition, three austerity scenes with clear iconographic cues: serene yogin, ostentatious ritualist with crowd, dark-toned harmful act; balanced pigments, didactic clarity.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold highlights: central sattvika donor offering food/cloth to worthy recipient, side medallions for rajas (garlanded by admirers) and tamas (shadowed figure), ornate frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style instructional chart-like painting, labeled three guṇas, fine lines, soft colors, gestures indicating motive (open palm humility vs. pointing for recognition vs. aggressive posture).","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature with narrative sequencing: courtly patron giving for prestige (rajas), hermit in quiet grove (sattva), grim scene of coercive penance (tamas), detailed faces and textiles."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सात्त्विकञ्च → सात्त्विकम् + च. तपोऽकामम् → तपः + अकामम्. फलाद्यर्थन्तु → फल-आदि-अर्थम् + तु. दानमुच्यते → दानम् + उच्यते.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Dharma-shastra sections on guṇa-vibhāga of acts; Agni Purana: Mokṣa-dharma teachings on niṣkāma-karma
FAQs
It gives a practical triguṇa-based diagnostic: judge tapas (and by extension dāna) by motive—desireless (sāttvika), fruit-seeking (rājasa), or harm-causing (tāmasa).
Alongside rituals and other sciences, the Agni Purāṇa also systematizes ethics and psychology of action (triguṇa theory), offering a concise taxonomy applicable across worship, charity, and disciplined practices.
It teaches that inner intention determines karmic quality: desireless purity elevates merit, passion binds action to results, and harm-oriented practice becomes spiritually destructive.