Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 5
Chapter 10 — श्रीरामावतारवर्णनम्
Description of the Incarnation-Deeds of Śrī Rāma
गवाक्षो दधिवक्त्रश् च गवयो गन्धमादनः एते चान्ये च सुग्रीव एतैर् युक्तो ह्य् असङ्ख्यकैः
gavākṣo dadhivaktraś ca gavayo gandhamādanaḥ ete cānye ca sugrīva etair yukto hy asaṅkhyakaiḥ
غَفاكشا، ودَذِيفَكْترا، وغَفَيا، وغَنْدَهَمادَنا—هؤلاء وغيرهم، يا سُغْرِيفا، قد انضمّوا حقًّا إلى جموع لا تُحصى من محاربي الفانارا.
Lord Agni (narrating a Ramayana synopsis to sage Vashistha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Narrative synopsis and force-description: conveys the scale of Sugrīva’s allied army and names key leaders for remembrance and storytelling.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Sena-varṇana: Sugrīva’s Countless Vānara Leaders","lookup_keywords":["Sugrīva","Gavākṣa","Gandhamādana","vānara","asaṅkhyaka"],"quick_summary":"Names several vānara leaders and emphasizes their innumerable forces allied with Sugrīva. The verse compresses the sense of vast manpower and organized leadership."}
Alamkara Type: Saṅkhyā-atishayokti (hyperbole of countless troops) with nāma-mālā
Concept: Bala (strength) arises from organization and unity; leadership binds many into one purpose.
Application: In collective endeavors: build scalable teams with identifiable leaders; communicate scale to deter opposition and inspire confidence.
Khanda Section: Itihasa-Ramayana-Sangraha (Ramayana narrative synopsis within Agni Purana)
Primary Rasa: Vira
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Sugrīva stands with key vānara commanders—Gavākṣa, Dadhivaktra, Gavaya, Gandhamādana—behind him, with an immense army stretching into the distance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Sugrīva as central vānara king with crown; commanders in tiers; dense repeating patterns of troops to suggest innumerability; warm ochres and greens.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, Sugrīva with gold halo-like ornamentation; commanders as richly adorned vānara nobles; background filled with stylized army, gold accents for banners.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, assembly scene with clear hierarchy; soft colors; emphasis on faces and insignia to distinguish commanders; instructional roster-like clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, grand military review: Sugrīva and commanders in foreground, countless troops and standards in perspective, detailed landscape and camp elements."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दधिवक्त्रश् च = दधिवक्त्रः + च; चान्ये = च + अन्ये; एतैर् = एतैः (before voiced consonant); ह्य् = हि (before vowel); असङ्ख्यकैः (no sandhi).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rāmāyaṇa-saṅgraha: vānara rosters and yuddha transition (10.3–10.6)
FAQs
No ritual or technical vidyā is taught here; the verse functions as an itihāsa-style catalogue, naming key vanara leaders and emphasizing the vast allied force supporting Sugrīva.
By embedding a compressed Ramayana account, the Agni Purana preserves itihāsa material alongside ritual, polity, and other sciences—showing its encyclopedic method of compiling major cultural narratives and key person-lists (nāma-saṅgraha).
Remembering and reciting itihāsa narratives is traditionally held to support dharma-smṛti and devotion; here, the emphasis on righteous alliance and collective support highlights dharmic cooperation as a meritorious ideal.