Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 35
Adhyāya 361 — अव्ययवर्गः
Avyaya-vargaḥ) — The Section on Indeclinables (Colophon/Closure
उदारो दातृमहतोरितरस्त्वन्यनीचयोः चूडा किरीटं केशाश् च संयता मौलयस्त्रयः
udāro dātṛmahatoritarastvanyanīcayoḥ cūḍā kirīṭaṃ keśāś ca saṃyatā maulayastrayaḥ
Ang marangal na tao (udāra) ay nakikilala bilang dakilang tagapagkaloob; ang kabaligtaran nito ay makikita sa mga hamak at mababa. Ang tatlong anyo sa ulo ay: ang topknot o bun (cūḍā), ang korona/diadema (kirīṭa), at ang buhok na nakatali at inayos (saṃyatakeśa).
Lord Agni (in dialogue instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Social/ethical discernment (udāratā vs nīcatā) and identification of customary head-ornaments/hair arrangements in social settings and rites.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Marks of nobility and three head-forms (cūḍā, kirīṭa, saṃyatakeśa)","lookup_keywords":["udāra","dātṛ","cūḍā","kirīṭa","saṃyatakeśa"],"quick_summary":"Nobility is characterized by generosity; meanness by its opposite. The verse also lists three recognized head-forms/arrangements: topknot, crown, and bound hair."}
Concept: Udāratā (generosity) as a practical marker of inner virtue; external marks (mūrdhaja-ākāra) as conventional identifiers, not ultimate worth.
Application: Guides rulers/communities in honoring benefactors and recognizing roles/status in assemblies, rituals, and court protocol.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Samaja-niti (Signs of social types and external marks)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A public assembly: a generous noble distributing gifts contrasted with a miserly figure; above, three illustrated head-styles—cūḍā topknot, kirīṭa crown, and neatly bound hair—shown like a didactic chart.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, royal hall with a noble donor giving coins and cloth to supplicants, contrasting small panel of a mean man turning away, top border showing three head-styles (cūḍā, kirīṭa, saṃyatakeśa) as icon-like motifs","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, central crowned patron-king (kirīṭa) offering gifts, gold-leaf emphasis on crown and jewelry, side medallions depicting cūḍā and saṃyatakeśa hair forms, ornate arch frame","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional composition with labeled head-forms in a neat row, below them a moral scene of charity vs miserliness, fine linework, soft colors, minimal background","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, darbar scene of a noble distributing alms, attendants with different hair arrangements, marginal illustrations of the three head-forms, intricate textiles and architectural detail"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: इतरस्त्वन्यनीचयोः → इतरः + तु + अन्यनीचयोः (ः + त् → स्त्); मौलयस्त्रयः → मौलयः + त्रयः (ः + त् → स्त्).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 361 (Rajadharma / Samāja-nīti subsections)
FAQs
It gives lakṣaṇa-vidyā style indicators: generosity as a mark of nobility, and a technical triad of head-forms (cūḍā, kirīṭa, saṃyatakeśa) used to classify appearance/insignia.
Alongside theology and ritual, the text catalogs practical socio-political markers—ethical traits (dāna) and outward insignia (hair/crown)—showing its wide coverage of governance, social order, and descriptive classifications.
By elevating dāna (generosity) as the sign of the udāra, it reinforces dāna-dharma as merit-producing conduct, while warning that meanness/lowliness is revealed by the absence of such giving.