Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 6
Chapter 247 — पुष्पादिपूजाफलं
Fruits of Worship with Flowers and Other Offerings
घृतप्रस्थेन विष्णोश् च स्नानङ्गोकोटिसत्फलं आढकेन तु राजा स्यात् घृतक्षीरैर् दिवं व्रजेत्
ghṛtaprasthena viṣṇoś ca snānaṅgokoṭisatphalaṃ āḍhakena tu rājā syāt ghṛtakṣīrair divaṃ vrajet
Sa pag-aalay ng isang prastha na ghee (ghṛta), nakakamit ang dakilang bunga ng kabutihan na katumbas ng pagsasagawa ng isang koṭi (sampung milyon) na ritwal ng pagligo (snāna) para kay Viṣṇu. Sa pag-aalay ng isang āḍhaka, nagiging hari; at sa pag-aalay ng ghee kasama ang gatas, nakararating sa langit.
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purana’s dāna-phala discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Guidance for dāna (charitable gifting) with quantified measures and stated merit-fruits; motivates ghee/milk donations in ritual and social contexts.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Formula","entry_title":"Ghṛta-dāna phala: merit-fruits by prastha/āḍhaka measures","lookup_keywords":["ghṛta-dāna","prastha","āḍhaka","puṇya-phala","svarga"],"quick_summary":"Specifies graded results of gifting ghee: a prastha yields immense Viṣṇu-snāna merit; an āḍhaka leads to royal status; ghee with milk leads to heaven."}
Concept: Dāna as a dharmic act with measurable puṇya; intention and substance (ghṛta, kṣīra) are linked to promised outcomes (puṇya, rājya, svarga).
Application: Perform food-fat donations (ghee, milk) to worthy recipients/temples especially in vrata/śrāddha/utsava contexts, using traditional measures (prastha, āḍhaka) where feasible.
Khanda Section: Dāna–Puṇya–Phala (Charity, ritual gifting, and merit-fruits)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A donor offers a vessel of ghee measured as prastha/āḍhaka to a priest or temple; a second scene shows ghee with milk being offered, with symbolic imagery of Viṣṇu-snāna merit and ascent to heaven.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, temple courtyard, donor holding a brass pot of ghṛta, priest receiving, Viṣṇu icon in the background with ritual bath motif, warm earthy palette, devotional yet didactic composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold-leafed Viṣṇu shrine, donor presenting ghee and milk in ornate vessels, inscriptions of 'prastha' and 'āḍhaka', luminous halo effects and rich ornamentation.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style instructional panel: two measured containers labeled prastha and āḍhaka, donor-priest exchange, side vignette of svarga ascent, fine lines and soft gradients.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature with precise vessels and measures, courtly donor scene implying 'becomes a king', separate vignette of celestial ascent, delicate architectural details and refined palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: viṣṇoś ca = viṣṇoḥ + ca. ghṛtakṣīrair = ghṛtakṣīraiḥ. snānaṅgokoṭisatphalaṃ read as snānam + gokoṭisatphalam (sandhi: m + g).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 247 (Dāna–Puṇya–Phala section within Puṣpādi-pūjā-phala chapter)
FAQs
It specifies a dāna-vidhi principle: donating measured quantities of ghṛta (and ghṛta with kṣīra) yields defined ritual merits, equating a prastha of ghee to vast Viṣṇu-related snāna (bath-rite) merit.
It catalogs a practical dharma topic—charity and its results—using traditional metrology (prastha, āḍhaka) and mapping offerings to karmic outcomes (royalty, svarga), exemplifying the text’s compendium style across ritual, ethics, and religious economy.
It teaches that materially supporting sacred economy through ghṛta-dāna generates extraordinary puṇya: intensified Viṣṇu-oriented purification merit, worldly sovereignty as a karmic fruition, and higher post-mortem attainment (heaven) when paired with milk.