Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 23
Chapter 38 — देवालयनिर्माणफलं
The Merit of Constructing a Temple
नोपभोगाय बन्धूनां व्यर्थस्तस्य धनागमः यथा ध्रुवो नृणां मृत्युर्वित्तनाशस् तथा ध्रुवः
nopabhogāya bandhūnāṃ vyarthastasya dhanāgamaḥ yathā dhruvo nṛṇāṃ mṛtyurvittanāśas tathā dhruvaḥ
यस्य बन्धूनां भोगपोषणाय नोपयुज्यते, तस्य धनागमो व्यर्थः; यथा नृणां मृत्युर्ध्रुवा, तथा वित्तनाशोऽपि ध्रुवः।
Lord Agni (teaching sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s didactic frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Use wealth to maintain and uplift one’s family network (bāndhava-bharaṇa), and plan with impermanence in mind—avoid hoarding; convert surplus into durable merit (dāna, yajña, public works).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Vṛthā-dhanāgama: wealth is futile without kin-support; certainty of death and wealth-loss","lookup_keywords":["bāndhava upabhoga","vṛthā dhanāgama","vittanāśa dhruva","anityatā","dhananīti"],"quick_summary":"Riches have purpose only when they support dependents and rightful enjoyment; since death and loss of wealth are both certain, one should not treat wealth as permanent."}
Alamkara Type: Dṛṣṭānta (illustrative analogy)
Concept: Anityatā of artha: death is fixed, and wealth’s loss is likewise inevitable; therefore artha must be converted into dharma and welfare.
Application: Adopt ‘use-it-for-dharma-and-dependents’ policy: allocate income to family support, charity, and religious duties; keep reserves but avoid miserly accumulation.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Dhananiti (Ethics of wealth, household duty, and impermanence)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vairagya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A wealthy man ignores his relatives while coins spill from a broken pot; in the background a funeral procession passes, showing death’s certainty and wealth’s instability.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, symbolic scene: householder with overflowing coin pot, neglected kin at doorway, Yama’s presence hinted in stylized form, funeral bier in distance, bold outlines and flat color fields","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, gold accents on coin vessels and ornaments; central figure holding wealth, relatives pleading, a small vignette of cremation ground at side, ornate borders and halos for moral emphasis","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear narrative panels: (1) acquisition of wealth, (2) refusal to support kin, (3) death scene, (4) wealth lost—soft shading and fine lines","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, domestic courtyard with relatives seated, miserly patron turning away; parallel scene of funeral procession on street; detailed architecture, textiles, and subdued moral tone"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नोपभोगाय → न + उपभोगाय; व्यर्थस्तस्य → व्यर्थः + तस्य; मृत्युर्वित्तनाशस् → मृत्युः + वित्तनाशः (visarga sandhi).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma/Dhananīti passages on artha, dāna, and anityatā
FAQs
It imparts practical dharma-nīti: wealth should be applied toward the welfare and rightful enjoyment/support of one’s family and dependents; hoarding without benefitting kin is deemed purposeless.
Alongside rituals, cosmology, and arts, the Agni Purana also preserves social ethics and governance-oriented instruction (rajadharma/dhananīti), offering guidance on economic conduct and household responsibility.
It frames wealth as transient and ethically charged: using it for duty and support reduces attachment and aligns one’s conduct with dharma, while miserliness and hoarding are portrayed as spiritually barren due to inevitable loss.