Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 6
Chapter 12 — श्रीहरिवंशवर्णनं (Śrī-Harivaṃśa-varṇana) | The Description of the Sacred Harivaṃśa
सङ्क्रामितो ऽभूद्रोहिण्यां रौहिणेयस्ततो हरिः कृष्णाष्टम्याञ्च नभसि अर्धरात्रे चतुर्भुजः
saṅkrāmito 'bhūdrohiṇyāṃ rauhiṇeyastato hariḥ kṛṣṇāṣṭamyāñca nabhasi ardharātre caturbhujaḥ
তারপর হরি রোহিণীর গর্ভে স্থানান্তরিত হলেন, তাই তিনি ‘রৌহিণেয়’ নামে জন্মালেন। নাভস (ভাদ্রপদ) মাসের কৃষ্ণপক্ষের অষ্টমীতে মধ্যরাত্রিতে তিনি চতুর্ভুজ রূপে প্রকাশিত হলেন।
Lord Agni (narrating to Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Jyotisha","practical_application":"Determining Janmāṣṭamī observance markers (kṛṣṇāṣṭamī, nabhas/bhādrapada, ardharātra) and remembering the four-armed epiphany as a liturgical cue in stotra/vrata recitation.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Kṛṣṇa’s Appearance on Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī at Midnight (Caturbhuja Darśana)","lookup_keywords":["Rohiṇī","Rauhiṇeya","Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī","Nabhas","ardharātra"],"quick_summary":"Hari is said to be transferred to Rohiṇī (hence Rauhiṇeya) and to manifest on the dark-fortnight eighth tithi in Nabhas at midnight, first appearing in a four-armed form—key calendrical and iconographic cues for worship."}
Concept: Kāla (tithi, month, midnight) as a sacred container for darśana; the Lord’s form is both transcendent (caturbhuja) and accessible (avatāra).
Application: Use the specified time markers for vrata/pujā scheduling; meditate on caturbhuja Viṣṇu during midnight worship before bāla-Kṛṣṇa visualization.
Khanda Section: Avataras (Krishna-Janma / Vaishnava Itihasa)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At midnight on Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī, Hari manifests in a radiant four-armed form, with the narrative note of transfer to Rohiṇī (Rauhiṇeya) as background context.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, midnight prison chamber lit by divine aura, caturbhuja Viṣṇu-Kṛṣṇa with śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma, deep blues and greens, stylized lamps and lotus motifs, devotional grandeur.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central caturbhuja Kṛṣṇa/Viṣṇu with heavy gold leaf halo, ornate jewelry, symbolic night sky elements, rich maroons and blues, temple-like framing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear narrative: midnight setting with moon and stars, caturbhuja form emerging in soft glow, fine linework, gentle shading, didactic caption feel.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed interior with guards and architecture, a luminous four-armed figure at center, delicate starry sky through a window, intricate textiles and subdued yet radiant palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ऽभूद्रोहिण्यां = अभूत् + रोहिण्याम्; रौहिणेयस्ततः = रौहिणेयः + ततः; कृष्णाष्टम्याम् = कृष्ण-अष्टम्याम्
Related Themes: Agni Purana Avatara-khaṇḍa: Krishna-janma narrative context (12.5–12.9)
FAQs
It encodes calendrical-ritual timing: Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī in the dark fortnight (kṛṣṇa-pakṣa), in the month Nabhas (Bhādrapada), at midnight—key data used for Janmāṣṭamī observance and vrata scheduling.
Beyond theology, it preserves precise sacred-time markers (tithi, month, midnight) and avatāra narrative details (transfer to Rohiṇī; identification of Rauhiṇeya), illustrating how the Agni Purāṇa integrates ritual calendar science with mythic history.
By highlighting the exact birth-time of Hari’s manifestation, it sanctifies Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī-midnight as a meritorious moment for devotion, fasting, and worship, traditionally believed to yield purification and bhakti-growth.