Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 5
Chapter 153 — Brahmacarya-āśrama-dharma
The Dharma of the Student Stage
गुप्तदासात्मकं नाम प्रशस्तं वैश्यशूद्रयोः शर्मान्तं ब्रह्मणस्योक्तं वर्मान्तं क्षत्रियस्य च
guptadāsātmakaṃ nāma praśastaṃ vaiśyaśūdrayoḥ śarmāntaṃ brahmaṇasyoktaṃ varmāntaṃ kṣatriyasya ca
गुप्तदासात्मकं नाम प्रशस्तं वैश्यशूद्रयोः। शर्मान्तं ब्राह्मणस्योक्तं वर्मान्तं क्षत्रियस्य च॥
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purāṇa narrative frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Standardizing personal names by varṇa (including mercantile/servile suffixes) to support social administration, lineage identification, and ritual propriety.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Varṇa-wise commendable name endings: -gupta/-dāsa; -śarman; -varman","lookup_keywords":["gupta","dāsa","śarman","varman","varṇa onomastics"],"quick_summary":"Vaiśya/Śūdra names are commended with -gupta or -dāsa; brāhmaṇa with -śarman; kṣatriya with -varman—forming a normative onomastic taxonomy."}
Concept: Names function as dharmic markers of role and duty within varṇāśrama, aiding both ritual and civic recognition.
Application: When selecting names, align suffix with varṇa convention to maintain social legibility in ceremonies, documents, and community dealings.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Samaja-niti (Varna-nama-vidhi / Onomastics)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A didactic tableau showing four families (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra) each presenting a child with a name banner: -śarman, -varman, -gupta, -dāsa; an officiant points to a rule tablet.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural with four grouped vignettes, stylized attire indicating varṇa roles, name-banners in decorative script, officiant holding palm-leaf rule tablet, flat ornamental background.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold borders, four-panel composition, each panel labeled with suffix, richly ornamented figures, central dharma emblem (chakra/lotus) tying the taxonomy together.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style instructional chart-like painting: clean separation of four cases, subtle color coding, clear suffix inscriptions, gentle shading and fine lines.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature with four small scenes in one page, each with a caption cartouche showing suffix, courtly realism, detailed textiles, balanced layout."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: brahmaṇasyoktaṃ = brahmaṇasya uktaṃ; vaiśyaśūdrayoḥ treated as dvandva compound in genitive dual.
Related Themes: Agni Purana nāmakaraṇa rules; varṇāśrama-dharma discussions
FAQs
It gives a practical onomastic rule: recommended name-endings (suffix patterns) aligned with varṇa—“-śarman” for Brāhmaṇas, “-varman” for Kṣatriyas, and “-gupta/-dāsa” for Vaiśyas and Śūdras.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purāṇa catalogs applied norms of society—here, a Dharmaśāstra-style guideline on personal naming—showing its coverage of governance, social custom, and saṃskāra-related conventions.
By aligning a person’s name with prescribed social-dharmic conventions, the text frames naming as a harmonizing saṃskāra that supports orderly conduct (dharma) and auspicious identity within one’s duties.