Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 7
Rāja-dharma (राजधर्माः) — Protection of the Heir, Discipline, Counsel, and the Seven Limbs of the State
अदेशकाले यद्दानमपात्रे दानमेव च अर्थेषु दूषणं प्रोक्तमसत्कर्मप्रवर्तनं
adeśakāle yaddānamapātre dānameva ca artheṣu dūṣaṇaṃ proktamasatkarmapravartanaṃ
نامناسب جگہ اور وقت پر دیا گیا صدقہ، اور نااہل کو دیا گیا صدقہ بھی—اسے مال میں عیب کہا گیا ہے؛ اور یہ ناحق اعمال کی طرف رغبت بڑھاتا ہے۔
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Sandhi Resolution Notes: adeśakāle = a-deśa-kāle; yaddānamapātre = yat + dānam + apātre; dānameva = dānam + eva; proktamasatkarmapravartanam = proktam + asat-karma-pravartanam.
FAQs
It gives a practical rule of dāna-vidhi: charity must be timed and situated appropriately (deśa-kāla) and offered to a worthy recipient (pātra); otherwise it is treated as a doṣa rather than a merit-producing act.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purana functions as a compendium of applied dharma: it codifies social-ethical guidelines (like standards for charity) that intersect with governance, household conduct, and karmic theory.
Misplaced charity is said to taint one’s wealth and can indirectly fuel adharmic outcomes; properly directed giving preserves purity of resources and supports merit (puṇya) rather than negative karmic momentum.