Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 7
Chapter 39 — भूपरिग्रहविधानम्
Bhū-parigraha-vidhāna: Procedure for Acquiring and Ritually Securing Land
कामरूपकलिङ्गोप्त्यः काञ्चीकाश्मीरकोशलः आकाशवायुतेजोम्बु भूरेताः पञ्च रात्रयः
kāmarūpakaliṅgoptyaḥ kāñcīkāśmīrakośalaḥ ākāśavāyutejombu bhūretāḥ pañca rātrayaḥ
কামরূপ, কলিঙ্গ, উৎকল, কাঞ্চী, কাশ্মীর ও কোশল; এবং পাঁচ ‘রাত্রি’—আকাশ, বায়ু, তেজ, জল, ভূমি—সহ রেতস্ (বীজ/সার)।
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s main dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Jyotisha","practical_application":"Mapping sacred regions and correlating them with pañca-mahābhūta categories for ritual, pilgrimage framing, and cosmological contemplation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Deśa-nirdesha and Pañca-rātri (Bhūta-rātri) Enumeration","lookup_keywords":["Kāmarūpa","Kaliṅga/Utkala","Kāñcī","Kāśmīra","Kośala","pañca-mahābhūta","rātri","retas"],"quick_summary":"The verse lists key sacred regions and a parallel fivefold scheme of ‘nights’ identified with the five elements, adding retas as an essence principle; it functions as a classificatory cosmology used in ritual-geographic thinking."}
Concept: Correspondence between macrocosm (bhūtas) and ordered classifications (rātri/essence) used to structure sacred knowledge.
Application: Use element-based categories to organize ritual timing/space and to interpret kṣetra-lists as more than geography—i.e., as cosmological indices.
Khanda Section: Tirtha–Kshetra-Mahatmya / Sacred Geography (Desha-nirdesha)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A map-like tableau showing six named regions as labeled landmasses, above which five elemental ‘nights’ appear as symbolic bands—ether (space), wind (swirls), fire (flames), water (waves), earth (mountains/fields)—with a subtle ‘retas/essence’ motif as a luminous drop.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural, flat bold colors, sacred geography panel with labeled kṣetras (Kāmarūpa, Kaliṅga/Utkala, Kāñcī, Kāśmīra, Kośala), above them pañca-mahābhūta symbols in horizontal registers, traditional ornamental borders, minimal shading.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting composition with gold-leaf halos around elemental emblems (ākāśa, vāyu, tejas, āpaḥ, bhūmi), jewel-toned map medallions for the regions, embossed gold detailing for the ‘essence/retas’ drop motif.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, delicate linework and soft washes, instructional cosmology chart: regions in cartouche frames, five elements in neatly labeled circles, retas as a central bindu, clean symmetrical layout.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, fine cartographic aesthetic: stylized Indian landscape with inscriptions for regions, five elemental vignettes in the sky, precise detailing, muted palette with gold highlights."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Mālkauns","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तेजोम्बु = तेजः + अम्बु (visarga sandhi). अन्यत्र समास-समुच्चयेन प्रदेश/तत्त्व-नामानि।
Related Themes: Agni Purana 39 (deśa-nirdesha / kṣetra lists); Agni Purana sections on pañca-mahābhūta and sṛṣṭi-krama (cosmology passages)
FAQs
It catalogs key regions (deśa-nāma) and simultaneously presents a technical tattva-listing of the five elements (ākāśa, vāyu, tejas, jala, pṛthivī) with retas as generative essence—useful for cosmological, ritual, and correspondential frameworks.
In a single śloka it juxtaposes geography (named cultural regions) with cosmological taxonomy (bhūta/tattva enumeration), illustrating the Agni Purana’s method of compressing multiple knowledge-domains—regional cataloging and metaphysical classification—into concise lists.
Remembering and reciting such enumerations functions as smṛti (sacred recollection) of the ordered cosmos and Dharma-landscape; it supports a worldview where place (deśa) and principle (tattva) are integrated, encouraging ritual purity through correct knowledge (jñāna) and right orientation to sacred order.