Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 40
Śrīrāmāvatāravarṇanam (Description of Śrī Rāma’s Incarnation) — Ayodhyā Abhiṣeka, Vanavāsa, Daśaratha’s Death, Bharata’s Regency
पुत्रं विना स्मरन् शोकात् कौशल्ये मरणं मम कथामुक्त्वाथ हा रामम् उक्त्वा राजा दिवङ्गतः
putraṃ vinā smaran śokāt kauśalye maraṇaṃ mama kathāmuktvātha hā rāmam uktvā rājā divaṅgataḥ
وإذ تذكّر ابنه وغمره الحزن، قال الملك لكوشاليا: «إن موتي الآن محقَّق لا محالة». ثم لما قال ذلك وصاح: «وا أسفاه، يا راما!»، فارق الملك الدنيا ومضى إلى السماء.
Narrator (Agni Purana’s narrative voice, traditionally Lord Agni instructing a sage)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Understanding dharmic kingship, the ethical weight of vows, and the psychological consequences of separation (putra-viyoga) in Itihasa narrative for moral reflection and conduct.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Daśaratha’s passing through putra-śoka (lament for Rāma)","lookup_keywords":["Daśaratha","putra-śoka","Kauśalyā","Rāma-viraha","divaṅgata"],"quick_summary":"The king, overwhelmed by grief for his son, announces impending death and dies lamenting Rāma. The passage frames grief as a decisive force in royal fate and narrative causality."}
Alamkara Type: Karunābhivyakti (pathos through direct lament)
Concept: Anityatā (impermanence) and the destructive power of uncontrolled śoka; the king’s end is tied to dharmic narrative consequences.
Application: Cultivate steadiness (dhairya) in separation and crisis; recognize grief’s impact on decision-making and health.
Khanda Section: Itihasa-Katha (Ramayana narrative within Agni Purana)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Daśaratha on his royal bed, weak with grief, addressing Kauśalyā and crying “Hā Rāma,” attendants in subdued mourning within the palace chamber.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style palace interior: Daśaratha reclining on a cot, Kauśalyā seated near his feet, expressive eyes, rich reds and ochres, minimal shading, attendants with folded hands, the words ‘Hā Rāma’ implied by gesture.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: Daśaratha on an ornate bed with gold embellishments, Kauśalyā in regal jewelry, halo-like aureoles, heavy gold work on textiles, solemn court setting.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: delicate linework, soft colors; focus on facial expressions of grief, Daśaratha’s fading gaze, Kauśalyā’s anxious posture, palace lamps at dusk.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: detailed palace chamber, patterned carpets, courtiers at a distance, Daśaratha’s lament captured mid-gesture, fine architectural borders and subdued palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"tragic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कथामुक्त्वाथ = कथाम् + उक्त्वा + अथ; दिवङ्गतः = दिवम् + गतः (अनुस्वार-सन्धि)
Related Themes: Agni Purana Ramopākhyāna / Itihāsa-kathā sections around Daśaratha’s death and succession crisis
FAQs
No ritual or technical vidyā is taught here; it is an itihāsa-narrative verse illustrating the consequence of separation-grief and the king’s final utterance.
By embedding Ramayana episodes, the Agni Purana functions as a compendium that transmits dharma and ethical exemplars through well-known epic history alongside its ritual, polity, and other technical chapters.
The verse highlights the karmic weight of attachment and sorrow, while also implying a righteous king’s ‘divaṅgati’ (heavenward passing), a common Purāṇic framing of death aligned with dharma.