Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 17
Chapter 38 — देवालयनिर्माणफलं
The Merit of Constructing a Temple
समुद्धृत्य हरेर्धाम प्राप्नोति द्विगुणं फलं पतितस्य तु यः कर्ता पतितस्य च रक्षिता
samuddhṛtya harerdhāma prāpnoti dviguṇaṃ phalaṃ patitasya tu yaḥ kartā patitasya ca rakṣitā
పడిపోయినవానిని పైకి లేపి రక్షించేవాడు హరి ధామాన్ని పొందుతాడు; అతనికి ద్విగుణ పుణ్యఫలం లభిస్తుంది. పతితునికి ఉపకారకుడై రక్షకుడై నిలిచినవాడే ఆ ఫలానికి పాత్రుడు.
Lord Agni (narrating the dharma-teachings in Agni Purana)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Organize and personally perform rescue/protection of vulnerable or socially fallen persons (accident victims, debt-slaves, outcasted, disaster-affected), treating it as a high-merit dharmic duty.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Patita-rakshaṇa (Rescue and protection of the fallen) as doubled merit","lookup_keywords":["patita","rakshita","samuddhṛtya","dāna-dharma","dviguṇa-phala"],"quick_summary":"Rescuing and protecting a fallen person is declared a high dharma yielding doubled merit and leading to Hari’s abode; the text frames social protection as a direct spiritual act."}
Concept: Paropakāra (protecting the vulnerable) is equivalent to worship and yields amplified spiritual fruit.
Application: Prioritize life-saving aid, shelter, legal/financial protection, and social rehabilitation as religious duty.
Khanda Section: Dana-Dharma and Prayashchitta (Merit of Rescue, Charity, and Protection of the Fallen)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A compassionate donor rescues a fallen, distressed person—lifting them up, offering protection and support—while a subtle vision of Hari’s abode signifies the promised fruit.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm earthy palette, a dharmic benefactor lifting a fallen person, attendants offering water and cloth, distant Vaikuntha motifs with Vishnu symbols, flat iconic composition, ornate borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central act of rescue with rich textiles, gold-leaf halo motifs, small Vaikuntha vignette above, jewel-like detailing, devotional framing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, refined linework, gentle expressions, instructional emphasis on the act of lifting and sheltering, minimal background with symbolic conch and discus motifs","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed urban street or village setting, benefactor helping a fallen person, onlookers, delicate architecture, subtle celestial cloud with Vishnu-world symbolism"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हरेर्धाम = हरेः + धाम; अन्यत्र स्पष्टपदविभागः।
Related Themes: Agni Purana 38 (dāna-dharma/prāyaścitta section)
FAQs
It teaches a dharma-principle: actively rescuing, rehabilitating, and protecting a “patita” (fallen person) is a high-merit act, yielding doubled spiritual fruit and leading to Hari’s abode.
Alongside rituals and cosmology, the Agni Purana also codifies social-ethical dharma—here, the merit-framework for upliftment and protection—showing its coverage of practical moral governance and religious merit.
The verse elevates compassionate intervention as spiritually potent: helping a fallen person is not merely charity but a merit-multiplier that is said to culminate in proximity to Vishnu (Hari).