Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 1
Chapter 154: विवाहः
Vivāha — Marriage
१७च्द् नैष्ठिको ब्रह्मचारी वा देहान्तं निवसेद्गुरौ अप्_१५३ इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे ब्रह्मचर्याश्रमो नाम त्रिपञ्चाशदधिकशततमो ऽध्यायः अथ चतुःपञ्चाशदधिकशततमो ऽध्यायः विवाहः पुष्कर उवाच विप्रश् चतस्रो विन्देत भार्यास्तिस्रस्तु भूमिपः द्वे च वैश्यो यथाकामं भार्यैकामपि चान्त्यजः
17cd naiṣṭhiko brahmacārī vā dehāntaṃ nivasedgurau ap_153 ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe brahmacaryāśramo nāma tripañcāśadadhikaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ atha catuḥpañcāśadadhikaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ vivāhaḥ puṣkara uvāca vipraś catasro vindeta bhāryāstisrastu bhūmipaḥ dve ca vaiśyo yathākāmaṃ bhāryaikāmapi cāntyajaḥ
Sa Agni Mahāpurāṇa, ang panghabambuhay na brahmacārin (naiṣṭhika) ay dapat manirahan kasama ng kanyang guro hanggang sa wakas ng buhay. Dito nagtatapos ang ika-153 kabanata na tinatawag na “Brahmacarya Āśrama.” Ngayon nagsisimula ang ika-154 kabanata: “Pag-aasawa.” Sinabi ni Puṣkara: “Ang isang brāhmaṇa ay maaaring magkaroon ng apat na asawa; ang isang hari (kṣatriya) ng tatlo; ang isang vaiśya ng dalawa ayon sa nais; at ang isang antyaja kahit isang asawa lamang.”
Puṣkara
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Guidance for āśrama-dharma (lifelong brahmacarya) and vivāha eligibility norms by varṇa for household formation and social regulation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Naiṣṭhika-brahmacārin duty and varṇa-wise wife-number rule","lookup_keywords":["naiṣṭhika brahmacarya","gurukula residence","vivāha wives number","varṇa marriage rule","Agni Purana 154"],"quick_summary":"Defines the naiṣṭhika brahmacārin’s lifelong residence with the guru and states a varṇa-wise allowance for number of wives, framing marriage as a regulated dharma institution."}
Concept: Āśrama-dharma and vivāha as a regulated saṃskāra within varṇāśrama norms.
Application: Choosing life-path (naiṣṭhika brahmacarya vs gṛhastha) and aligning marriage decisions with prescribed social-ritual constraints.
Khanda Section: Dharmaśāstra / Āśrama-dharma & Vivāha-vidhi (Social and ritual law)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: dharmavira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A gurukula scene of a naiṣṭhika brahmacārin serving the guru, followed by a formal assembly where Puṣkara states varṇa-wise marriage allowances.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm earthy palette, a serene gurukula with guru seated on a wooden āsana, brahmacārin with kamaṇḍalu and yajñopavīta serving; adjacent panel with sage Puṣkara addressing an audience, traditional ornamentation, flat perspective","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf highlights on guru’s halo and ornaments, brahmacārin in simple white, palm-leaf manuscripts, Puṣkara as central figure delivering dharma injunctions, rich red background, temple-like framing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, delicate linework, instructional tableau: left—gurukula discipline; right—courtly/scholarly gathering with Puṣkara enumerating marriage rules, labeled objects like śāstra manuscript and ritual vessels","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed interior of a hermitage school with textiles and books, then a scholarly majlis with Puṣkara speaking; fine faces, subdued colors, marginal floral motifs"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: nivasedgurau → nivased gurau; ity āgneye → iti āgneye; 'dhyāyaḥ represents adhyāyaḥ after avagraha; vipraś → vipraḥ; bhāryāstisrastu → bhāryāḥ tisraḥ tu; bhāryaikāmapi → bhāryā ekām api; cāntyajaḥ → ca antyajaḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 153 (Brahmacaryāśrama); Agni Purana 154 (Vivāha-vidhi continuation)
FAQs
It states āśrama-dharma (the naiṣṭhika brahmacārin’s lifelong residence with the guru) and introduces vivāha-dharma by specifying the traditionally permitted number of wives by social class.
It shifts from student-discipline (brahmacarya) to household law (vivāha), showing how the Agni Purana compiles practical norms of social-ritual life alongside its many other subjects.
Lifelong brahmacarya is presented as a strict vow of discipline and service to the guru, while regulated marriage is framed as dharmic governance of desire—both aimed at preserving personal purity and social order.