Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 1
Dānādi-māhātmya — The Glory of Gifts, Manuscript-Donation, and Purāṇic Transmission
इत्याग्नेये महापुराणे वेदशाखादिकीर्तिनं नाम सप्तत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः अथैकसप्तत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः दानादिमाहत्म्यं पुष्कर उवाच ब्रह्मणाभिहितं पूर्वं यावन्मात्रं मरीचये लक्षार्धाद्धन्तु तद्ब्राह्मं लिखित्वा सम्प्रदापयेत्
ityāgneye mahāpurāṇe vedaśākhādikīrtinaṃ nāma saptatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ athaikasaptatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ dānādimāhatmyaṃ puṣkara uvāca brahmaṇābhihitaṃ pūrvaṃ yāvanmātraṃ marīcaye lakṣārdhāddhantu tadbrāhmaṃ likhitvā sampradāpayet
Sa gayon, sa Agni Mahāpurāṇa ay nagtatapos ang ika-271 kabanata na tinatawag na “Paglilista ng mga Sangay ng Veda at mga Kaugnay.” Ngayon ay nagsisimula ang ika-272 kabanata, “Ang Kaluwalhatian ng Pagbibigay (dāna) at mga Kaugnay na Gawa.” Sinabi ni Puṣkara: “Anumang sukat ng banal na aral na itinuro noon ni Brahmā kay Marīci—para sa aral na iyon ng Brahmā, dapat maghandog ng kalahating isang lakh (yunit/salapi), at matapos itong ipasulat bilang kopya, ay dapat itong maayos na ihandog bilang dāna.”
Puṣkara
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Prescribes a dāna-prayoga: commissioning sacred teaching to be written and gifting it with a specified monetary measure—supporting preservation and transmission of śāstra.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Śāstra-likhita-dāna: Brahmā–Marīci-upadeśa lekhyadāna with dakṣiṇā","lookup_keywords":["dāna-mahātmya","likhita-dāna","dakṣiṇā","Brahmā Marīci","śāstra-pradāna"],"quick_summary":"Recommends writing out the Brahmā-taught instruction and gifting it with substantial dakṣiṇā, emphasizing merit through supporting learning and textual transmission."}
Concept: Dāna as dharma that sustains vidyā-paramparā; śāstra-sevā (supporting teaching) yields puṇya beyond material gifts.
Application: Sponsor copying/printing of sacred/educational texts and donate to qualified teachers/students/institutions with appropriate honorarium.
Khanda Section: Dana-mahatmya (Charity, gifting, and religious merit)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A donor commissions scribes to write sacred teaching on palm leaves; the completed manuscript is ceremonially offered to a learned brāhmaṇa/ācārya with dakṣiṇā.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, palm-leaf writing scene with stylized scribes, donor offering manuscript in añjali, oil lamps, temple-school ambience, earthy reds/ochres.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central ācārya seated on ornate seat, donor presenting manuscript with gold-highlighted palm leaves, decorative arch and rich gold work.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear instructional depiction of manuscript preparation (stylus, palm leaves, ink), orderly composition, gentle colors, emphasis on ritual propriety.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, atelier/library with scribes, detailed writing tools, donor with attendants offering a wrapped manuscript and coins, architectural depth and fine textiles."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyan","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ityāgneye = iti āgneye; saptatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ = saptati-adhika-dviśatatamaḥ adhyāyaḥ; athaikasaptatyadhikadviśatatamo = atha eka-saptati-adhika-dviśatatamaḥ; lakṣārdhāddhantu read as lakṣa-ardhāt dadyāt tu; sampradāpayet as causative/hand over.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 271– (dāna-ādi-māhātmya section); Agni Purana chapters on vedāṅga/śākhā enumeration preceding this transition
FAQs
It prescribes a dāna-practice: commissioning/copying a sacred teaching (brāhmaṃ) in written form and formally gifting it, with a specified monetary measure (half a lakh) as the associated offering/fee.
It bridges two knowledge-domains: (1) cataloging Vedic branches (veda-śākhā) and (2) prescribing actionable religious economy—textual transmission, scribal copying, and merit-generating donations—showing the Purāṇa’s coverage of both doctrine and practice.
Gifting a written sacred teaching is treated as a high-merit act (dāna) that supports preservation and dissemination of dharma-knowledge, thereby accruing puṇya through both generosity and safeguarding scripture.