Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 13
Utpāta-śānti
Pacification of Portents
गन्धर्वनगरञ्चैव वृष्टिश् च विकृता च या चरस्थिरभवं भूमौ भूकम्पमपि भूमिजं
gandharvanagarañcaiva vṛṣṭiś ca vikṛtā ca yā carasthirabhavaṃ bhūmau bhūkampamapi bhūmijaṃ
গন্ধৰ্ব-নগৰৰ দৰ্শন (মৃগতৃষ্ণাৰ দৰে নগৰাভাস) আৰু বিকৃত/অস্বাভাৱিক বৰষুণ; লগতে ভূমিত চল-অচল উভয়ক প্ৰভাৱিত কৰা ভূমিকম্প—ইয়াও ভূমিজ উপদ্ৰৱ।
Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Jyotisha","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Recognizing terrestrial/atmospheric prodigies—mirage-city, abnormal rain, earthquakes—and treating them as actionable omens requiring communal caution and śānti.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Āntarīkṣa–Bhauma Utpāta: Gandharva-nagara, Vikṛta-vṛṣṭi, Bhūkampa","lookup_keywords":["gandharva-nagara","vikṛta-vṛṣṭi","bhūkampa","utpāta","bhauma-adbhuta"],"quick_summary":"Mirage-like ‘cities’ in the sky, abnormal rains, and earthquakes affecting both moving beings and stationary objects are listed as significant prodigies in nimitta-śāstra."}
Alamkara Type: Rupaka
Concept: Natural anomalies are interpreted as meaningful signals impacting both animate and inanimate domains; observation guides dhārmic response.
Application: Treat abnormal rains and earthquakes as public-risk indicators; combine practical safety measures with prescribed śānti to restore confidence and order.
Khanda Section: Nimitta-shastra (Omens & Portents) / Utpāta-lakṣaṇa (Prodigies)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: Atmosphere/Earth
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A shimmering mirage-city appears in the sky; below, distorted rain falls out of season; the ground cracks as an earthquake shakes trees, houses, people, and animals.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, surreal gandharva-nagara floating above clouds, stylized abnormal rain, earth split with rhythmic patterns, figures and animals reacting, bold palette and temple-mural framing","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, dramatic sky with a jewel-like floating city, gold highlights on clouds and rain, cracked earth with embossed detailing, devotional border motifs","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear narrative panels: (1) gandharva-nagara mirage, (2) vikṛta-vṛṣṭi, (3) bhūkampa effects on chara-sthāvara; fine lines and explanatory feel","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, landscape with a fantastical city in the sky, unusual rain over fields, earthquake scene with tilted buildings and fleeing figures, refined naturalistic detail"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"ominous","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गन्धर्वनगरञ्चैव → गन्धर्वनगरम् + च + एव; वृष्टिश् → वृष्टिः
Related Themes: Agni Purana 262 (bhauma utpāta continuation; śānti context nearby)
FAQs
It conveys nimitta-vidyā (omenology): recognizing prodigies such as mirage-like ‘Gandharva-cities’, abnormal rainfall, and earthquakes as classified utpātas (portent-events) affecting the world of both moving and unmoving beings.
By cataloging observable natural anomalies—meteorological (abnormal rain), optical/atmospheric (gandharvanagara), and geological (earthquake)—it preserves a systematic Purāṇic knowledge-domain (nimitta-śāstra) alongside the text’s many other disciplines.
Such utpātas are treated as cosmic warnings prompting heightened dharma—self-restraint, vigilance, and remedial rites/charity—so that communities respond ethically and ritually to signs believed to reflect disturbed order.