Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 17
Chapter 38 — देवालयनिर्माणफलं
The Merit of Constructing a Temple
समुद्धृत्य हरेर्धाम प्राप्नोति द्विगुणं फलं पतितस्य तु यः कर्ता पतितस्य च रक्षिता
samuddhṛtya harerdhāma prāpnoti dviguṇaṃ phalaṃ patitasya tu yaḥ kartā patitasya ca rakṣitā
جو گرے ہوئے شخص کو اٹھا کر بچاتا ہے وہ ہری کے دھام کو پاتا ہے اور دوگنا پُنّیہ پھل حاصل کرتا ہے۔ جو پَتِت کا محسن اور محافظ بنتا ہے، وہی اس اجر کا حق دار ہے۔
Lord Agni (narrating the dharma-teachings in Agni Purana)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Organize and personally perform rescue/protection of vulnerable or socially fallen persons (accident victims, debt-slaves, outcasted, disaster-affected), treating it as a high-merit dharmic duty.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Patita-rakshaṇa (Rescue and protection of the fallen) as doubled merit","lookup_keywords":["patita","rakshita","samuddhṛtya","dāna-dharma","dviguṇa-phala"],"quick_summary":"Rescuing and protecting a fallen person is declared a high dharma yielding doubled merit and leading to Hari’s abode; the text frames social protection as a direct spiritual act."}
Concept: Paropakāra (protecting the vulnerable) is equivalent to worship and yields amplified spiritual fruit.
Application: Prioritize life-saving aid, shelter, legal/financial protection, and social rehabilitation as religious duty.
Khanda Section: Dana-Dharma and Prayashchitta (Merit of Rescue, Charity, and Protection of the Fallen)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A compassionate donor rescues a fallen, distressed person—lifting them up, offering protection and support—while a subtle vision of Hari’s abode signifies the promised fruit.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm earthy palette, a dharmic benefactor lifting a fallen person, attendants offering water and cloth, distant Vaikuntha motifs with Vishnu symbols, flat iconic composition, ornate borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central act of rescue with rich textiles, gold-leaf halo motifs, small Vaikuntha vignette above, jewel-like detailing, devotional framing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, refined linework, gentle expressions, instructional emphasis on the act of lifting and sheltering, minimal background with symbolic conch and discus motifs","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed urban street or village setting, benefactor helping a fallen person, onlookers, delicate architecture, subtle celestial cloud with Vishnu-world symbolism"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हरेर्धाम = हरेः + धाम; अन्यत्र स्पष्टपदविभागः।
Related Themes: Agni Purana 38 (dāna-dharma/prāyaścitta section)
FAQs
It teaches a dharma-principle: actively rescuing, rehabilitating, and protecting a “patita” (fallen person) is a high-merit act, yielding doubled spiritual fruit and leading to Hari’s abode.
Alongside rituals and cosmology, the Agni Purana also codifies social-ethical dharma—here, the merit-framework for upliftment and protection—showing its coverage of practical moral governance and religious merit.
The verse elevates compassionate intervention as spiritually potent: helping a fallen person is not merely charity but a merit-multiplier that is said to culminate in proximity to Vishnu (Hari).