Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 4
Duties outside the Varṇa Order (वर्णेतरधर्माः) — Agni Purana, Chapter 151
देवद्विजातिशुश्रूषा गुरूणाञ्च भृगूत्तम श्रवणं सर्वधर्माणां पितॄणां पूजनं तथा
devadvijātiśuśrūṣā gurūṇāñca bhṛgūttama śravaṇaṃ sarvadharmāṇāṃ pitṝṇāṃ pūjanaṃ tathā
اے بھِرگو کے برتر! دیوتاؤں، دْوِجوں اور گروؤں کی خدمت؛ تمام دھارمک تعلیمات کا توجہ سے سماعت کرنا؛ اور اسی طرح پِتروں کی پوجا بھی (کرنی چاہیے)۔
Lord Agni (narrating the dharma teachings)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Outlines relational duties—service to devas, dvijas, gurus, and ancestors—forming a practical code for householders and students to sustain social-religious order.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Sevā-śravaṇa-pitṛpūjā: Duties to Devas, Dvijas, Gurus, and Pitṛs","lookup_keywords":["devasevā","dvija-śuśrūṣā","guru-śuśrūṣā","dharma-śravaṇa","pitṛ-pūjā"],"quick_summary":"Practice respectful service to gods and learned elders, attend to teachers, listen to dharma teachings, and perform ancestor worship—core supports of tradition and gratitude."}
Concept: Dharma is sustained through śuśrūṣā (service), śravaṇa (receptive learning), and pitṛ-ṛṇa repayment (ancestor obligation).
Application: Establish a routine: daily deva-pūjā, weekly guru/elder service, regular dharma-śravaṇa (study/recitation), and annual śrāddha/pitṛ-tarpaṇa as per capacity.
Khanda Section: Dharma-vidhi (Sadācāra, Śrāddha, and duties toward gurus and ancestors)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A householder/student serving a guru and dvijas, listening to dharma recitation, performing deva-pūjā at a shrine, and offering piṇḍa/tarpaṇa to ancestors.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, domestic shrine with lamp and flowers, devotee offering arghya; adjacent scene of disciple massaging guru’s feet; pitṛ-tarpaṇa at a riverbank with kuśa grass; bold outlines, traditional palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central deva-pūjā scene with gold-leaf lamp and ornate shrine, side vignettes of guru-sevā and pitṛ-offerings; rich gold embossing and jewel tones.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional depiction of śrāddha setup: kuśa, water vessel, piṇḍas; calm guru-disciple scene; fine linework, subtle gold.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtyard ritual: scholar reciting dharma while listeners sit; another corner shows tarpaṇa at a river; detailed textiles, vessels, and architectural arches."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: devadvijātiśuśrūṣā → deva-dvijāti-śuśrūṣā; gurūṇāñca → gurūṇām ca.
Related Themes: Agni Purana sections on śrāddha and sadācāra (within Dharma-kāṇḍa)
FAQs
It prescribes core dharma-practices: serving devas and dvijātis, attending upon one’s gurus, hearing dharma-teachings (dharma-śravaṇa), and performing pitṛ-pūjā (ancestral honoring), which underpin daily religious discipline and śrāddha-oriented culture.
By cataloging practical pillars of orthodox conduct—guru-service, scriptural hearing, and ancestor rites—this verse shows the Agni Purana’s coverage of lived dharma alongside its wider subjects (rituals, polity, medicine, arts), making it a compendium of actionable tradition.
These acts are presented as purifying and merit-producing: honoring gurus and dvijātis supports right transmission of dharma, dharma-śravaṇa refines conduct and understanding, and pitṛ-pūjā sustains ancestral obligations—together strengthening puṇya and social-spiritual order.