Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 12
Chapter 225 — राजधर्माः
The Duties of Kings): Daiva and Pौरुष (Effort), Upāyas of Statecraft, and Daṇḍa (Punitive Authority
उपायश्रेष्ठं दानं स्याद्दानादुभयलोकभाक् न सो ऽस्ति नाम दानेन वशगो यो न जायते
upāyaśreṣṭhaṃ dānaṃ syāddānādubhayalokabhāk na so 'sti nāma dānena vaśago yo na jāyate
تدابیر میں سب سے افضل ‘دان’ ہے؛ دان کے ذریعے انسان دنیا اور آخرت دونوں میں حصہ پاتا ہے۔ دان کے ذریعے مطیع نہ ہونے والا کوئی نہیں۔
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Policy and ethics of gifting: use dāna to build loyalty, alliances, and social welfare while accruing religious merit.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Dāna as Śreṣṭha Upāya (Gifts as the Finest Means)","lookup_keywords":["dāna","upāya","puṇya","vaśīkaraṇa","both worlds"],"quick_summary":"Dāna is praised as the best instrument: it yields benefit here and hereafter, and it makes people amenable—use gifts to secure goodwill and stability."}
Concept: Dāna as dharma and as pragmatic upāya; puṇya accrues while social bonds strengthen.
Application: Institutionalize charity and strategic patronage—support Brahmins, the poor, soldiers, and public works to stabilize the realm and cultivate virtue.
Khanda Section: Dāna-dharma (Charity and Merit) / Rāja-nīti (Policy by Conciliation, Gifts, etc.)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The king distributes gifts—gold, grain, cows, cloth—to subjects and allies; recipients bow with gratitude, symbolizing both worldly loyalty and otherworldly merit.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, king performing dāna in a public hall, rows of recipients (Brahmins, poor, soldiers), cows and grain depicted, warm auspicious palette, stylized lotus motifs, serene faces","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central king with gold-leaf aura, hands offering coins and cloth, recipients with folded hands, ornate pillars, heavy gold embossing on jewelry and gift vessels","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic charity scene with clear depiction of gift types (anna, hiraṇya, go-dāna), gentle expressions, fine linework, balanced composition for instructional use","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, royal almsgiving in courtyard, attendants carrying trays of coins and textiles, diverse recipients, detailed costumes and architecture, soft naturalistic shading"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Madhyamavati","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्याद्दानादुभयलोकभाक् → स्यात् + दानात् + उभयलोकभाक्; सो ऽस्ति → सः + अस्ति
Related Themes: Agni Purana 225 (upāya: sāma-dāna-bheda-daṇḍa); Agni Purana dāna-dharma sections (general)
FAQs
It teaches dāna as a primary dharmic ‘upāya’ (practical means): giving functions both as religious merit-making and as a socially effective instrument for securing cooperation.
It blends moral theology (merit across ‘both worlds’) with pragmatic statecraft/social psychology (gifts making people compliant), illustrating how the Agni Purana ranges from spiritual doctrine to applied governance and conduct.
The verse asserts that charity yields punya that benefits one in both the present life and the afterlife, framing dāna as a direct cause of auspicious karmic outcomes.