Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 8
Chapter 13 — कुरुपाण्डवोत्पत्त्यादिकथनं
Narration of the Origin of the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, and Related Matters
धृतराष्ट्रो ऽम्बालिकायां पाण्डुश् च व्यासतः सुतः गान्धार्यां धृतराष्ट्राच्च दुर्योधनमुखं शतम्
dhṛtarāṣṭro 'mbālikāyāṃ pāṇḍuś ca vyāsataḥ sutaḥ gāndhāryāṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrācca duryodhanamukhaṃ śatam
ومن أمباليكا أنجب فياسا دريتاراشترا وكذلك باندو ابنين؛ ومن غانداري أنجب دريتاراشترا مئة ابن يتقدمهم دوريودانا.
Lord Agni (narrating Purāṇic-epic genealogy to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"वंशावली-स्मरण/इतिहास-ज्ञान: पात्र-संबंध स्पष्ट कर धर्म-इतिहास/महाभारत-प्रसंगों की समझ।","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"व्यास-नियोग से धृतराष्ट्र-पाण्डु तथा गान्धारी से कौरव-शत","lookup_keywords":["धृतराष्ट्र","पाण्डु","व्यास","गान्धारी","कौरव"],"quick_summary":"अम्बालिका से व्यास द्वारा धृतराष्ट्र और पाण्डु उत्पन्न हुए; गान्धारी से धृतराष्ट्र के सौ पुत्र (दुर्योधन-प्रधान) उत्पन्न हुए—महाभारत-वंश-मानचित्र का संक्षेप।"}
Concept: इतिहास-ज्ञान (genealogy) को स्मृति-परंपरा में संरक्षित करना।
Application: वंश/परिवार-रिकॉर्ड, उत्तराधिकार-सम्बन्ध, और कथानक-अध्ययन में संदर्भ-मानचित्र बनाना।
Khanda Section: Itihasa–Vamsha–Anukramanika (Genealogies and epic lineage summaries)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"व्यास ऋषि के सामने अम्बालिका; पीछे धृतराष्ट्र-पाण्डु के शैशव-रूप; दूसरी ओर गान्धारी और शिशुओं का समूह (कौरव-शत) का प्रतीकात्मक चित्रण।","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, sage Vyasa blessing queens, symbolic depiction of Dhritarashtra and Pandu as infants, Gandhari with many cradles suggested as patterned motif, traditional flat colors","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Vyasa with halo-like aura, queens in royal attire, gold leaf on ornaments, stylized rows of cradles representing Kaurava hundred","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, genealogical tableau, clear labeling-like composition, Vyasa central, Ambalika and Gandhari on sides, infants depicted symbolically","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly interior with Vyasa, queens seated, attendants, subtle symbolic repetition of cradles/infants for the hundred sons, fine detailing"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: dhṛtarāṣṭro 'mbālikāyāṃ → dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ ambālikāyām; pāṇḍuś ca → pāṇḍuḥ ca; dhṛtarāṣṭrācca → dhṛtarāṣṭrāt ca.
Related Themes: अग्निपुराण 13 (महाभारत-सार: कौरव-पाण्डव-उत्पत्ति)
FAQs
This verse imparts vamśa-vidyā (genealogical knowledge): it records royal descent—Vyāsa’s begetting of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Pāṇḍu, and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s hundred sons through Gāndhārī—used for Itihāsa contextualization and dynastic reckoning.
By compressing Mahābhārata-era dynastic data into a concise catalog, it shows the Agni Purāṇa’s encyclopedic method: alongside rituals, polity, and arts, it preserves historical-epic lineages as reference knowledge for dharma, kingship, and narrative tradition.
Remembering and accurately transmitting sacred lineages (vamśa-smṛti) supports dharma-smṛti and Itihāsa preservation; it reinforces the moral frame of the Mahābhārata by grounding later actions in inherited duties, bonds, and karmic consequences.