Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 26
कुरुपाण्डवसङ्ग्रामवर्णनम्
Description of the War between the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas
भीष्माच्छान्तनवाच्छ्रुत्वा धर्मान् सर्वांश् च शान्तिदाम् राजधर्मान्मोक्षधर्मान्दानधर्मान् नृपो ऽभवत्
bhīṣmācchāntanavācchrutvā dharmān sarvāṃś ca śāntidām rājadharmānmokṣadharmāndānadharmān nṛpo 'bhavat
Sau khi nghe từ Bhīṣma, con của Śāntanu, toàn bộ các pháp (dharma) ban an lạc—tức bổn phận vương đạo, pháp môn hướng đến giải thoát và luật bố thí—nhà vua trở nên thông đạt và an trú vững vàng trong dharma.
Lord Agni (narrating Purāṇic/Itihāsa-based dharma instruction in summary form)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Training a ruler (or administrator) through śānti-oriented dharmas: rajadharma (governance), dāna (public welfare/redistribution), and mokṣadharma (ethical self-discipline) to stabilize society and personal conduct.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Śāntidā Dharmas: Rājadharma–Mokṣadharma–Dānadharma","lookup_keywords":["rājadharma","mokṣadharma","dānadharma","Bhīṣma","śānti"],"quick_summary":"Peace-bearing dharma is presented as a triad: governance duties, liberative discipline, and charitable giving. A king becomes fit to rule by hearing and internalizing these teachings."}
Concept: Śānti (social and inner peace) arises from integrated practice of kingly duty, generosity, and liberative discipline.
Application: Use dharma-education as statecraft: codify fair rule, institutionalize dāna/welfare, and cultivate personal restraint to prevent tyranny and social unrest.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Mokshadharma (Dharma-shastra / Governance and Liberation Teachings)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king sits respectfully before Bhīṣma (on a bed of arrows in the Mahābhārata memory), receiving instruction on rājadharma, mokṣadharma, and dāna as peace-bestowing teachings.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, Bhīṣma as aged teacher with serene face, king seated with folded hands, palm-leaf manuscripts, warm earth pigments, stylized lotuses, calm śānta mood, minimal battlefield cues","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central enthroned king listening to Bhīṣma, gold-leaf halo accents, ornate textiles, symbolic triad icons (scales for justice, alms vessel, meditation seat), rich reds and greens","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional court scene with labeled elements: rājadharma scroll, dāna pot, mokṣa meditation diagram; delicate linework, soft shading, scholarly ambience","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate durbar-like teaching session, Bhīṣma as venerable counselor, attendants with manuscripts, fine architectural backdrop, subdued palette, emphasis on dialogue and gesture"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: bhīṣmācchāntanavācchrutvā = bhīṣmāt śāntanavāt śrutvā; sarvāṃś ca = sarvān ca; rājadharmān mokṣadharmān dānadharmān are accusative plurals; nṛpo 'bhavat = nṛpaḥ abhavat.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Rajadharma sections (king’s duties, punishment, ministers); Agni Purana: Dāna-dharma passages (gift-types, recipients, merits); Agni Purana: Mokṣa/adhyātma passages (vairāgya, jñāna, śama-dama)
FAQs
It classifies dharma into three applied domains—rājadharma (statecraft and kingly duties), dānadharma (regulated charity), and mokṣadharma (liberation-oriented discipline)—as the peace-producing framework a ruler should learn and embody.
By compressing multiple knowledge streams into a single dharma-map—governance ethics, charitable economy, and soteriology—it exemplifies how the Agni Purana links practical administration with religious merit and ultimate liberation.
Hearing and adopting these dharmas is presented as śānti-prada (peace-giving): rājadharma stabilizes society, dāna purifies and accrues merit, and mokṣadharma directs that merit toward liberation-oriented transformation.