Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 18
Āgneya-Purāṇa-māhātmya
The Greatness and Self-Testimony of the Agni Purāṇa
कपिलानां शते दत्ते यद् भवेज्ज्येष्ठपुष्करे तदाग्नेयं पुराणं हि पठित्वा फलमाप्नुयात्
kapilānāṃ śate datte yad bhavejjyeṣṭhapuṣkare tadāgneyaṃ purāṇaṃ hi paṭhitvā phalamāpnuyāt
జ్యేష్ఠ-పుష్కరంలో వంద కపిల (తామ్రవర్ణ) గోవులను దానం చేసిన ఫలము ఏదో, అదే ఫలాన్ని అగ్నిపురాణం పఠించడం ద్వారా నిశ్చయంగా పొందుతాడు.
Lord Agni (traditionally teaching Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Using Agni Purāṇa reading as an alternative merit-equivalent to major dāna performed at a famed tīrtha-time (Jyeṣṭha-Puṣkara), enabling accessible practice.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Jyeṣṭha-Puṣkara go-śata-dāna phala via Agni Purāṇa pāṭha","lookup_keywords":["Jyeṣṭha-Puṣkara","Kapilā-go-dāna","go-śata","tīrtha-phala","pāṭha-phala"],"quick_summary":"The merit of gifting a hundred tawny cows at Jyeṣṭha-Puṣkara is equated with reading the Agneya Purāṇa. The verse elevates pāṭha as a portable tīrtha and time-independent merit practice."}
Alamkara Type: Upamā (implicit equivalence of fruits)
Concept: Śāstra-pāṭha can internalize and universalize tīrtha-based merit; dharma becomes accessible beyond geography and wealth.
Application: If unable to travel to Puṣkara or perform large-scale dāna, undertake disciplined Purāṇa reading (pāṭha) with sankalpa and regularity.
Khanda Section: Phala-shruti (Merit of Recitation) / Purana-patha-mahatmya
Primary Rasa: Adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: Shanta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sacred lake at Puṣkara with pilgrims and tawny cows offered in charity; juxtaposed with a reader calmly reading the Agni Purāṇa, showing equal radiance/merit.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Puṣkara lake with lotus and ghāṭa, kapilā cows in procession, on the side a serene reader with palm-leaf manuscript, both surrounded by equal golden aura motifs","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central manuscript and reader with heavy gold work, inset vignette of Puṣkara lake and cow-gift, ornate temple arch framing, luminous merit symbolism","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, comparative instructional composition: top panel Puṣkara go-śata-dāna, bottom panel Agni Purāṇa pāṭha, clear labels and balanced symmetry","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, panoramic lakeside Puṣkara scene with detailed crowd and cows, corner cartouche showing a scholar reading, subtle equivalence via matching halos"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भवेज्ज्येष्ठपुष्करे→भवेत् ज्येष्ठ-पुष्करे; तदाग्नेयं→तत् आग्नेयम्; फलमाप्नुयात्→फलम् आप्नुयात्.
Related Themes: Agni Purāṇa 382 (phala-śruti)
FAQs
It teaches the phala (ritual result) principle: recitation of the Agneya Purāṇa is declared equivalent in merit to a major dāna—gifting one hundred kapilā (tawny) cows at the sacred Puṣkara tīrtha.
By mapping textual study (purāṇa-pāṭha) to classical ritual economy (dāna and tīrtha), it integrates scripture-recitation, pilgrimage geography (Puṣkara), and charity-based merit—showing how the Agni Purāṇa spans doctrine, ritual practice, and devotional soteriology.
It elevates śāstra-pāṭha as a powerful means of accruing puṇya, presenting reading the Agni Purāṇa as a direct, accessible path to the same karmic merit as an eminent and costly act of charity performed at a renowned holy place.