Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 24
Chapter 238 — राजधर्माः (Rājadharmāḥ) | Duties of Kings
शस्याकरवती पुण्या खनिद्रव्यसमन्विता गोहिता भूरिसलिला पुण्यैर् जनपदैर् युता
śasyākaravatī puṇyā khanidravyasamanvitā gohitā bhūrisalilā puṇyair janapadair yutā
புனிதமான நிலம் என்பது பயிர் வளம் மிகுந்ததும், கனிமச் செல்வம் கொண்டதும், மாடுகளுக்கு நன்மை தருவதும், நீர் வளம் பெருகியதும், புண்ணியமான குடியிருப்புகளுடன் இணைந்ததும் ஆகும்.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the Agni Purana’s common dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Criteria for a 'pious/blessed' land useful for settlement and governance: agrarian productivity, mineral wealth, cattle welfare, water abundance, and proximity to virtuous communities.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Punya-desha Lakshana (Marks of a Blessed Land)","lookup_keywords":["shasyakara","khanidravyasamnvita","gohita","bhurisalila","punya-janapada"],"quick_summary":"A land is praised as auspicious and prosperous when it yields crops, contains mines, supports cattle, has plentiful water, and is neighbored by meritorious settlements."}
Concept: Dharma and prosperity are supported by right geography: resource sufficiency plus virtuous social environment.
Application: For founding/choosing a realm or district, prioritize water security, food production, mineral resources, cattle-friendly pasture, and dharmic civic culture.
Khanda Section: Tirtha-Kshetra-Mahatmya (Sacred Geography and Merit of Lands)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Panoramic blessed landscape: golden fields, visible mine/quarry, healthy cattle grazing, rivers and ponds, and nearby orderly villages with temples and righteous people.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural panoramic countryside with paddy fields, river bends, cows, small shrine, miners at a hillside, harmonious village life, stylized flora and bold outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, idealized land as a divine mandala: fields, cows, water bodies, and gem-bearing hills, gold highlights on crops and water ripples, temple at center.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional landscape with labeled features (crops, mines, water, cattle), soft gradients, precise detailing of settlement layout.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed agrarian scene with irrigation channels, cattle herders, miners, and clustered villages, fine brushwork and naturalistic textures."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Sandhi: śasyākaravatī→śasya-ākaravatī; khanidravyasamanvitā→khani-dravya-samanvitā; bhūrisalilā→bhūri-salilā; puṇyair janapadair→puṇyaiḥ janapadaiḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana tirtha/kshetra-mahatmya and desha-varnana sections (contextual); Agni Purana vastu/nagara-nivesha land-testing themes (contextual)
FAQs
It gives a practical checklist for assessing an auspicious and sustainable realm: agricultural fertility, mineral resources, reliable water supply, and protection/support of cattle.
Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purana also preserves applied knowledge relevant to statecraft and settlement planning—linking prosperity (crops, mines, water) and social-religious merit (puṇya janapadas) to an ideal country.
A land described as “puṇyā” and associated with “puṇya” settlements is portrayed as conducive to dharma and merit; choosing or maintaining such a realm supports righteous living and the accumulation of puṇya.