Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 26
Āgneya-Purāṇa-māhātmya
The Greatness and Self-Testimony of the Agni Purāṇa
पठतः शृण्वतः पुंसः पुस्तकं यजतो महत् आग्नेयं श्रीपुराणं हि हेमन्ते यः शृणोति वै
paṭhataḥ śṛṇvataḥ puṃsaḥ pustakaṃ yajato mahat āgneyaṃ śrīpurāṇaṃ hi hemante yaḥ śṛṇoti vai
ഇത് പാരായണം ചെയ്യുകയോ ശ്രവിക്കുകയോ ചെയ്ത് ഗ്രന്ഥത്തിന് മഹാപൂജ നടത്തുകയോ ചെയ്യുന്ന പുരുഷൻ—ഹേമന്തകാലത്ത് ശ്രദ്ധയോടെ ശ്രീമദാഗ്നേയപുരാണം ശ്രവിക്കുന്നവൻ മഹാപുണ്യം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു।
Lord Agni (traditional frame: Agni instructing Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Stotra","practical_application":"Phala-śruti guiding when and how to gain merit: recitation/hearing of the Agneya Purāṇa, and ‘book-worship’ (pustaka-pūjā) especially in hemanta.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Hemanta-śravaṇa of Āgneya Purāṇa and Pustaka-yajana","lookup_keywords":["phalaśruti","hemanta","pustaka-pūjā","śravaṇa","Āgneya Purāṇa"],"quick_summary":"Merit accrues through reciting, listening, and ritually honoring the text; hearing it in the hemanta season is singled out as especially meritorious."}
Concept: Śravaṇa-pāṭha and grantha-pūjā are dharmic acts; time (ṛtu) is a dharma-amplifier for scriptural engagement.
Application: Organize communal readings in hemanta; perform respectful handling and worship of the Purāṇa manuscript/book as part of vrata-like observance.
Khanda Section: Phala-shruti (Merit of Recitation and Hearing)
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee listens to the Agneya Purāṇa in winter, while a revered manuscript/book is worshipped with lamps and offerings.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, temple interior with oil lamps, seated paurāṇika reciting, listeners in orderly rows, winter motifs (cool palette, shawls), book on a pedestal with flowers and lamp, ornate arch framing","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, central book on a decorated pedestal with gold embossing, devotee offering ārati, reciter seated with palm-leaf manuscript, rich textiles, heavy jewelry, gold highlights","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional clarity: book-worship setup—āsana, pedestal, lamp, flowers—reciter and listener, calm domestic/temple setting, fine linework","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate salon-like gathering, scholar reciting from a manuscript, attentive listeners, winter garments, detailed carpet patterns, book stand with lamp and flowers"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पठतः शृण्वतः यजतः = कृदन्त-षष्ठी एकवचन; श्रीपुराणं = श्री-पुराणम्
Related Themes: Agni Purāṇa 382 (phala-śruti sequence continuing seasonal merits)
FAQs
It prescribes śravaṇa (listening), pāṭha (recitation), and pustaka-yajana (ritual veneration of the scripture) as merit-producing practices, with an added seasonal observance in hemanta.
Alongside diverse subjects, the Agni Purāṇa also records meta-practices—how to transmit, hear, and ritually honor the text itself—showing that it includes ritual protocol and religious merit frameworks in addition to technical disciplines.
It declares that hearing/reciting the Agneya Purāṇa—especially with reverence toward the text and during hemanta—yields “great” puṇya (religious merit) and supports purification through sacred listening.