Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 4
Dānādi-māhātmya — The Glory of Gifts, Manuscript-Donation, and Purāṇic Transmission
जलधेनुमदाषाढ्यां विष्णोः पदमवाप्नुयात् चतुर्दशसहस्राणि वायवीयं हरिप्रियं
jaladhenumadāṣāḍhyāṃ viṣṇoḥ padamavāpnuyāt caturdaśasahasrāṇi vāyavīyaṃ haripriyaṃ
ଆଷାଢ଼-ଉପହାର ସହ ‘ଜଳଧେନୁ’ ଦାନ କଲେ ବିଷ୍ଣୁଙ୍କ ପଦ ଲଭ୍ୟ ହୁଏ; ଏହା ବାୟବୀୟ ସ୍ୱଭାବର, ହରିପ୍ରିୟ, ଏବଂ ଚଉଦ ହଜାର ପୁଣ୍ୟଫଳଦାୟକ।
Lord Agni (narrating to sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Dāna-vidhi: prescribing a specific composite gift (jaladhenu with Āṣāḍhā-offering) and stating its phala/puṇya-count for ritual charity planning.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Jaladhenu-dāna with Āṣāḍhā-upacāra (Vāyavīya, Hari-priya)","lookup_keywords":["jaladhenu","Āṣāḍhā dāna","Viṣṇuloka phala","Vāyavīya puṇya","Hari-priya dāna"],"quick_summary":"Donate a symbolic ‘water-cow’ along with the Āṣāḍhā-associated offering; the text assigns a fixed merit (14,000) and promises attainment of Viṣṇu’s abode."}
Concept: Dāna as a dharmic means to attain higher lokas; phala is specified as a motivating and regulating principle.
Application: Use prescribed gift-forms and timing to structure household charity and vrata-linked giving.
Khanda Section: Dāna-vidhi (Gifts and their phala / merit)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A donor presents a ritual ‘water-cow’ (a cow-form vessel or symbolic cow associated with water) with Āṣāḍhā seasonal offerings to a brāhmaṇa; Viṣṇu’s abode is implied as the spiritual reward.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style: a yajamāna in white dhoti offering a jaladhenu (cow-shaped water vessel) with Āṣāḍhā offerings to a serene brāhmaṇa; background shows stylized Vaikuṇṭha with Viṣṇu iconography, earthy reds and greens, bold outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: central scene of dāna—donor and brāhmaṇa with jaladhenu; small inset of Viṣṇu in Vaikuṇṭha; rich gold leaf highlights on ornaments and halo, deep maroons and greens.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: clean instructional composition showing the jaladhenu object clearly (cow-shaped container), donor handing it with seasonal offering; delicate lines, muted palette, minimal background with a Vaikuṇṭha emblem.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: courtly donor scene with detailed textiles; a cow-shaped water vessel presented to a learned brāhmaṇa; marginal cloud band suggesting Viṣṇu’s loka; fine brushwork and architectural pavilion."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional-devotional","suggested_raga":"Madhyamavati","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: जलधेनुमदाषाढ्यां = जलधेनु-मत्-आषाढ्याम्; चतुर्दशसहस्राणि = चतुर्दश-सहस्राणि; पदमवाप्नुयात् = पदम् + अवाप्नुयात् (m+a→ma).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Dāna-vidhi sections on gau-dāna variants; Agni Purana Vrata-kathā/kalpa-related dānas
FAQs
It specifies a dāna-vidhi: offering the jaladhenu (a ritualized ‘water-cow’ gift) along with an Āṣāḍha-associated observance, and it quantifies the resulting merit as a named category (vāyavīya).
It exemplifies the text’s catalog-style dharma material—listing particular donations, their timing/associations (like Āṣāḍha), the precise spiritual result (Viṣṇu-pada), and even numeric/typed merit—typical of the Agni Purāṇa’s wide-ranging practical compendium.
The act is framed as a high-yield charitable rite whose fruit is access to Viṣṇu’s abode (viṣṇoḥ padam), indicating strong Vaiṣṇava puṇya and purification through prescribed giving.