Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 4
Duties outside the Varṇa Order (वर्णेतरधर्माः) — Agni Purana, Chapter 151
देवद्विजातिशुश्रूषा गुरूणाञ्च भृगूत्तम श्रवणं सर्वधर्माणां पितॄणां पूजनं तथा
devadvijātiśuśrūṣā gurūṇāñca bhṛgūttama śravaṇaṃ sarvadharmāṇāṃ pitṝṇāṃ pūjanaṃ tathā
Служение богам и двиджам (дваждырождённым), а также учителям, о лучший из Бхригу; внимательное слушание всех наставлений о дхарме; и равно почитание предков (питри) — всё это следует исполнять.
Lord Agni (narrating the dharma teachings)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Outlines relational duties—service to devas, dvijas, gurus, and ancestors—forming a practical code for householders and students to sustain social-religious order.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Sevā-śravaṇa-pitṛpūjā: Duties to Devas, Dvijas, Gurus, and Pitṛs","lookup_keywords":["devasevā","dvija-śuśrūṣā","guru-śuśrūṣā","dharma-śravaṇa","pitṛ-pūjā"],"quick_summary":"Practice respectful service to gods and learned elders, attend to teachers, listen to dharma teachings, and perform ancestor worship—core supports of tradition and gratitude."}
Concept: Dharma is sustained through śuśrūṣā (service), śravaṇa (receptive learning), and pitṛ-ṛṇa repayment (ancestor obligation).
Application: Establish a routine: daily deva-pūjā, weekly guru/elder service, regular dharma-śravaṇa (study/recitation), and annual śrāddha/pitṛ-tarpaṇa as per capacity.
Khanda Section: Dharma-vidhi (Sadācāra, Śrāddha, and duties toward gurus and ancestors)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A householder/student serving a guru and dvijas, listening to dharma recitation, performing deva-pūjā at a shrine, and offering piṇḍa/tarpaṇa to ancestors.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, domestic shrine with lamp and flowers, devotee offering arghya; adjacent scene of disciple massaging guru’s feet; pitṛ-tarpaṇa at a riverbank with kuśa grass; bold outlines, traditional palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central deva-pūjā scene with gold-leaf lamp and ornate shrine, side vignettes of guru-sevā and pitṛ-offerings; rich gold embossing and jewel tones.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional depiction of śrāddha setup: kuśa, water vessel, piṇḍas; calm guru-disciple scene; fine linework, subtle gold.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtyard ritual: scholar reciting dharma while listeners sit; another corner shows tarpaṇa at a river; detailed textiles, vessels, and architectural arches."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: devadvijātiśuśrūṣā → deva-dvijāti-śuśrūṣā; gurūṇāñca → gurūṇām ca.
Related Themes: Agni Purana sections on śrāddha and sadācāra (within Dharma-kāṇḍa)
FAQs
It prescribes core dharma-practices: serving devas and dvijātis, attending upon one’s gurus, hearing dharma-teachings (dharma-śravaṇa), and performing pitṛ-pūjā (ancestral honoring), which underpin daily religious discipline and śrāddha-oriented culture.
By cataloging practical pillars of orthodox conduct—guru-service, scriptural hearing, and ancestor rites—this verse shows the Agni Purana’s coverage of lived dharma alongside its wider subjects (rituals, polity, medicine, arts), making it a compendium of actionable tradition.
These acts are presented as purifying and merit-producing: honoring gurus and dvijātis supports right transmission of dharma, dharma-śravaṇa refines conduct and understanding, and pitṛ-pūjā sustains ancestral obligations—together strengthening puṇya and social-spiritual order.