Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 49
Mantra-śakti, Dūta-Carā (Envoys & Spies), Vyasana (Calamities), and the Sapta-Upāya of Nīti
प्रतिदानं तदा तस्य गृहीतस्यानुमोदनं द्रव्यदानमपूर्वं च स्वयङ्ग्राहप्रवर्तनं
pratidānaṃ tadā tasya gṛhītasyānumodanaṃ dravyadānamapūrvaṃ ca svayaṅgrāhapravartanaṃ
Затем следует: (i) сделать тому человеку ответный дар, (ii) выразить одобрение принятому, (iii) дать материальные средства, прежде не дававшиеся, и (iv) побуждать к добровольному принятию — к получению без принуждения и без вымогания.
Lord Agni (in discourse to the sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the standard Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Ritual-social protocol of giving and receiving: reciprocate appropriately, express gratitude/approval, vary gifts, and ensure acceptance is voluntary to preserve dignity and merit.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Dāna-Śiṣṭācāra: Return-gift, Anumodana, Novel Gift, Voluntary Acceptance","lookup_keywords":["pratidāna","anumodana","dāna-vidhi","apūrva-dravya","svayaṃ-grāha"],"quick_summary":"After accepting or receiving, one should reciprocate, voice approval/gratitude, offer fresh (not repetitive) material gifts, and encourage unforced acceptance. This maintains social harmony and the purity of dāna."}
Concept: Giving and receiving are reciprocal ethical acts; gratitude (anumodana) and non-coercion protect the dharmic quality of exchange.
Application: In patronage or charity networks, always acknowledge receipt, reciprocate when fitting, avoid pressuring recipients, and diversify aid according to need.
Khanda Section: Dāna-Dharma (Charity, gifts, and ritual propriety)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: hasya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A formal exchange: a recipient accepts a gift, offers a return-gift, speaks words of approval, and both parties show that acceptance is voluntary and dignified.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: two figures exchanging garlands and gift bundles, one raising hand in blessing/approval (anumodana), attendants with trays, symmetrical composition, rich reds and ochres.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: ceremonial gift exchange with gold-leaf trays, return-gift presented with folded hands, ornate pillars, emphasis on auspiciousness and propriety.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: step-by-step instructional panel—(1) acceptance, (2) pratidāna, (3) anumodana, (4) apūrva-dravya—clean lines, labeled cartouches.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: refined gift exchange in a garden pavilion, delicate gestures indicating consent, detailed textiles and objects (purse, cloth, vessel), calligraphic border."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bihag","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गृहीतस्यानुमोदनं = गृहीतस्य + अनुमोदनम्; द्रव्यदानमपूर्वं = द्रव्य-दानम् + अपूर्वम्; स्वयङ्ग्राहप्रवर्तनं = स्वयम् + ग्राह-प्रवर्तनम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 240 (dāna conduct and merit)
FAQs
It teaches dāna-vidhi etiquette: reciprocating with a return-gift, formally acknowledging acceptance, giving fresh (non-repeated) material gifts, and ensuring acceptance happens voluntarily—maintaining ritual purity and social propriety in charity.
Beyond theology, it codifies practical dharma: transactional ethics of giving/receiving, gratitude, and non-coercion—showing the text’s wide scope into social norms and religious law-like guidance.
Charity yields higher merit when done with proper conduct—gratitude, non-repetition, and non-coercion reduce ego and impurity, making the act a cleaner instrument of puṇya (karmic merit).