Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 24
Chapter 238 — राजधर्माः (Rājadharmāḥ) | Duties of Kings
शस्याकरवती पुण्या खनिद्रव्यसमन्विता गोहिता भूरिसलिला पुण्यैर् जनपदैर् युता
śasyākaravatī puṇyā khanidravyasamanvitā gohitā bhūrisalilā puṇyair janapadair yutā
Ang lupang pinagpala ay yaong sagana sa ani at yamang-mina, kapaki-pakinabang sa mga baka, masagana sa tubig, at kaugnay o napapaligiran ng mga pamayanang may kabutihan at merito.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the Agni Purana’s common dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Criteria for a 'pious/blessed' land useful for settlement and governance: agrarian productivity, mineral wealth, cattle welfare, water abundance, and proximity to virtuous communities.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Punya-desha Lakshana (Marks of a Blessed Land)","lookup_keywords":["shasyakara","khanidravyasamnvita","gohita","bhurisalila","punya-janapada"],"quick_summary":"A land is praised as auspicious and prosperous when it yields crops, contains mines, supports cattle, has plentiful water, and is neighbored by meritorious settlements."}
Concept: Dharma and prosperity are supported by right geography: resource sufficiency plus virtuous social environment.
Application: For founding/choosing a realm or district, prioritize water security, food production, mineral resources, cattle-friendly pasture, and dharmic civic culture.
Khanda Section: Tirtha-Kshetra-Mahatmya (Sacred Geography and Merit of Lands)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Panoramic blessed landscape: golden fields, visible mine/quarry, healthy cattle grazing, rivers and ponds, and nearby orderly villages with temples and righteous people.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural panoramic countryside with paddy fields, river bends, cows, small shrine, miners at a hillside, harmonious village life, stylized flora and bold outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, idealized land as a divine mandala: fields, cows, water bodies, and gem-bearing hills, gold highlights on crops and water ripples, temple at center.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional landscape with labeled features (crops, mines, water, cattle), soft gradients, precise detailing of settlement layout.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed agrarian scene with irrigation channels, cattle herders, miners, and clustered villages, fine brushwork and naturalistic textures."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Sandhi: śasyākaravatī→śasya-ākaravatī; khanidravyasamanvitā→khani-dravya-samanvitā; bhūrisalilā→bhūri-salilā; puṇyair janapadair→puṇyaiḥ janapadaiḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana tirtha/kshetra-mahatmya and desha-varnana sections (contextual); Agni Purana vastu/nagara-nivesha land-testing themes (contextual)
FAQs
It gives a practical checklist for assessing an auspicious and sustainable realm: agricultural fertility, mineral resources, reliable water supply, and protection/support of cattle.
Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purana also preserves applied knowledge relevant to statecraft and settlement planning—linking prosperity (crops, mines, water) and social-religious merit (puṇya janapadas) to an ideal country.
A land described as “puṇyā” and associated with “puṇya” settlements is portrayed as conducive to dharma and merit; choosing or maintaining such a realm supports righteous living and the accumulation of puṇya.