Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 31
Chapter 230: शकुनानि (Śakunāni) — Omens
भवेत्तस्य फलं वाच्यं तदेव दिवसं बुधैः मता भक्ष्यार्थिनो बाला वैरसक्तास्तथैव च
bhavettasya phalaṃ vācyaṃ tadeva divasaṃ budhaiḥ matā bhakṣyārthino bālā vairasaktāstathaiva ca
அறிஞர்கள் கூறுவது: அதன் பலன் அந்த நாளுக்கே உரியது என்று அறிவிக்க வேண்டும். இவர்கள் உணவை நாடும் குழந்தைகள் எனவும், அதுபோல பகைமையில் பற்றுடையவர்களெனவும் கருதப்படுகின்றனர்।
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Jyotisha","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Rule for timing of omen-results: declare the phala for the same day; interpret certain actors (children seeking food; those bent on enmity) as context-modifiers in prognostication.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Divasa-phala-niyama: same-day result and actor-context in śakuna","lookup_keywords":["divasa phala","śakuna phala","bāla","bhakṣyārthin","vaira"],"quick_summary":"Omen results are to be applied to that very day, not indefinitely. The nature of the person encountered (needy child, hostile intent) conditions how the sign is read."}
Concept: Phala is time-bounded (divasa-niyama) and context-sensitive (encountered person’s intent/need).
Application: When recording omens, note date/time and the encountered person’s apparent motive; avoid extending a sign’s effect beyond the day.
Khanda Section: Jyotisha (Phala-nirnaya: omens, dreams, and daily prognostication)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A learned prognosticator instructs that an omen’s result applies to the same day, while depicting two encounter-types: a hungry child and a person harboring enmity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, a seated jyotiṣi with palm-leaf almanac, a sun-disc indicating ‘today’, to one side a child asking for food, to the other a figure with tense posture symbolizing enmity, bold outlines and traditional palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold halo around the sun symbol for ‘divasa’, the jyotiṣi with ornate seat, two small narrative panels: hungry child and hostile person, rich colors and gold detailing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, didactic composition with labels ‘tad eva divasam’, clean figures and gentle shading, the prognosticator pointing to a day-marker, two contextual vignettes below.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly astrologer with a daily register, a small street scene of a child seeking food, and a rival figure in the background, fine architectural detail and calligraphy."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: bhavettasya = bhavet tasya; tadeva = tat eva; vairasaktāstathaiva = vaira-saktāḥ tathā eva.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 230 (phala-nirṇaya rules; daily prognostication)
FAQs
It gives a Jyotiṣa-style rule of application: the learned should declare the omen’s result as operative for the very same day, with reference to certain behavioral categories (children seeking food; persons driven by hostility).
By including practical prognostic rules (phala-kathana) alongside typologies of persons, the text functions as a handbook that blends divination-style timing principles with social/psychological observation.
Correctly timing and stating phala is presented as a disciplined, truthful application of knowledge; it supports right action for the day and helps avoid harm—especially where hunger/need (children seeking food) or hostility (enmity-driven persons) is involved.