Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 2
अध्याय १६२ — धर्मशास्त्रकथनम्
Dharmaśāstra Exposition: Authorities, Pravṛtti–Nivṛtti, Upākarman, and Anadhyāya Rules
आपस्तम्बोशनोव्यासाः कात्ययनबृहस्पती गोतमः शङ्खलिखितौ धर्ममेते यथाब्रुवन्
āpastambośanovyāsāḥ kātyayanabṛhaspatī gotamaḥ śaṅkhalikhitau dharmamete yathābruvan
Sina Āpastamba, Uśanas, Vyāsa, Kātyāyana, Bṛhaspati, Gautama, at sina Śaṅkha at Likhita—ang mga awtoridad na ito ang naghayag ng Dharma ayon sa kanilang pagpapaliwanag.
Lord Agni (narrating the dharma authorities within the Agni Purana discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Provides an expanded roster of dharma-expositors used to justify legal/ethical rulings; supports jurisprudence, adjudication, and conduct codes by appealing to recognized textual authorities.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Additional Dharma Authorities (Āpastamba to Śaṅkha–Likhita)","lookup_keywords":["āpastamba","uśanas","bṛhaspati","kātyāyana","śaṅkha-likhita"],"quick_summary":"Lists further authoritative teachers/texts for dharma, indicating that dharma is established through a recognized corpus of smṛti and dharma-sūtra traditions."}
Concept: Dharma is articulated through multiple authoritative lineages (dharma-sūtra and smṛti), implying comparative consultation and hierarchy of sources.
Application: In dharma-vicāra (legal/ethical inquiry), corroborate a rule across major authorities (e.g., Āpastamba, Bṛhaspati, Kātyāyana) and apply context-appropriate precedence (ācāra, deśa, āśrama).
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Raja-dharma (Smriti-based jurisprudence and codes of conduct)
Primary Rasa: śānta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A catalog-like tableau of revered lawgivers: each sage seated with a manuscript, arranged in a row as a ‘library of dharma’; a central scroll reads ‘dharma-me te yathābruvan’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, row of sages with distinct attributes (manuscript, rosary, water-pot), stylized palm-leaf texts, warm tones and bold outlines, temple-school ambience","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, multiple sages with gold halos in a tiered composition, ornate manuscript stands, gold embossing highlighting the ‘dharma’ scroll, rich jewel colors","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, neat didactic panel: labeled portraits of Āpastamba, Uśanas, Vyāsa, Kātyāyana, Bṛhaspati, Gautama, Śaṅkha-Likhita; fine lines and soft shading for an encyclopedic feel","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, scholarly gallery with individual seated figures holding books, architectural niches, delicate calligraphy bands naming each authority, refined detailing and muted palette"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: āpastambośanovyāsāḥ = āpastamba + uśana + vyāsāḥ (dvandva); kātyayanabṛhaspatī = kātyayana + bṛhaspatī; yathābruvan = yathā + abruvan.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 162 dharma exposition sections that cite smṛti-pramāṇa for aśauca and conduct
FAQs
It identifies authoritative Dharma-śāstra sources (smṛti lawgivers) whose teachings are to be consulted for determining righteous conduct and legal-ethical norms.
By cataloging juristic authorities, the text positions itself as a compendium that integrates Dharma-śāstra (law/ethics) alongside other disciplines, guiding readers to recognized source-text traditions.
Following Dharma as taught by recognized authorities is presented as a means to align action with righteousness, supporting merit (puṇya) and avoiding the karmic consequences of adharma.