Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 9
Saṃskāra-kathana
Account of the Saṃskāras
हिरण्यास्यो हिरण्याङ्गो हेमजिह्वो हिरण्यवान् अश्वमेधो हि सर्वेशो गुणाश्चाष्टाथ तान् शृणु
hiraṇyāsyo hiraṇyāṅgo hemajihvo hiraṇyavān aśvamedho hi sarveśo guṇāścāṣṭātha tān śṛṇu
অশ্বমেধ স্বর্ণ-মুখ, স্বর্ণ-অঙ্গ, স্বর্ণ-জিহ্বা-যুক্ত এবং স্বর্ণ-ঐশ্বর্যে সমৃদ্ধ। সত্যই অশ্বমেধ সর্বেশ্বর; এখন তার আটটি গুণ শোনো।
Lord Agni (narrating the Agni Purana’s ritual-material to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Eulogistic framing of Aśvamedha to motivate royal patronage and to introduce its stated qualities/benefits in rājadhrama context.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Aśvamedha-mahātmya: ‘Golden’ attributes and eight guṇas (intro)","lookup_keywords":["Aśvamedha","mahātmya","hiraṇya","rāja-yajña","aṣṭa-guṇa"],"quick_summary":"Portrays Aśvamedha as supremely auspicious and ‘golden’ (symbol of śrī/tejas), setting up a structured list of eight qualities/merits."}
Alamkara Type: Rūpaka/Personification (yajña described with bodily golden features)
Concept: Rāja-yajña as a dharmic instrument for legitimizing rule and generating collective auspiciousness (śrī/tejas).
Application: For kings/patrons: align political authority with dharma through sanctioned śrauta rites; for students: understand yajña as socio-political theology.
Khanda Section: Yajna-vidhi / Ashvamedha-mahatmya (Vedic royal sacrifice and its eulogistic attributes)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal sacrificial arena with a decorated horse, golden-hued ritual paraphernalia, and a herald announcing the Aśvamedha’s ‘eight qualities’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, grand yajña-vedi, richly caparisoned horse, priests and king, golden ochre highlights suggesting ‘hiraṇya’ imagery, rhythmic arrangement of figures, sacred fire glowing","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, king and queen near the fire altar, horse adorned with gold ornaments, heavy gold leaf on vessels and ornaments, temple-like framing, inscription panel ‘Aśvamedha’","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear narrative tableau: labeled elements (horse, yajña-vedi, ṛtviks), subtle gold accents, didactic composition introducing ‘aṣṭa-guṇa’ list","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly ceremony with detailed textiles, horse procession, priests chanting, gold-toned palette, marginal note indicating ‘eight qualities’"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गुणाश्चाष्टाथ = गुणाः + च + अष्ट + अथ; हिरण्यवान् (वत्-प्रत्ययान्त) ।
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Aśvamedha description and promised fruits in the same rājadhrama/yajña context; Agni Purana: sections on rājasūya/vājapeya and royal duties
FAQs
It introduces the Aśvamedha as a supreme royal yajña and signals a structured teaching: the upcoming enumeration of its eight defining excellences (aṣṭa-guṇa), framing the rite in formal, technical categories.
By treating a major Vedic state-ritual as an itemized subject—complete with attributes and a promised list of eight qualities—the text functions like a compendium, cataloguing ritual science (yajña-vidhi) alongside other disciplines found elsewhere in the Purana.
The verse elevates Aśvamedha as “lord of all” rites, implying exceptional purificatory and merit-generating power; the ‘golden’ imagery conveys auspiciousness, sanctity, and prosperity associated with correctly performed sacrifice.