Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 14
Chapter 19 — कश्यपवंशवर्णनम्
Description of Kaśyapa’s Lineage
प्रह्रादस्य चतुष्कोट्यो निवातकवचाः कुले ताम्रायाः षट् सुताः स्युश् च काकी श्वेनी च भास्यपि
prahrādasya catuṣkoṭyo nivātakavacāḥ kule tāmrāyāḥ ṣaṭ sutāḥ syuś ca kākī śvenī ca bhāsyapi
In der Linie Prahlādas gab es die Nivātakavacas, vier Koṭis an Zahl. Und von Tāmra gab es sechs Söhne—darunter Kākī, Śvenī und auch Bhāsī.
Lord Agni (narrating puranic genealogies to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Reference for identifying Nivātakavaca affiliation with Prahlāda’s line and for classifying bird lineages from Tāmrā in mythic zoology.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Prahlāda lineage: Nivātakavacas; Tāmrā’s six sons (bird clans)","lookup_keywords":["Prahlāda","Nivātakavaca","Tāmrā","Kākī","Śvenī"],"quick_summary":"Indexes two genealogical facts: the enormous Nivātakavaca population within Prahlāda’s lineage and the named avian progeny of Tāmrā, serving as a quick lookup for mythic ethnography and bird-clan origins."}
Concept: Purāṇic taxonomy links species/clans to progenitors; numbers (koṭi) function as cosmological scale markers.
Application: Use as a concordance node when tracing Nivātakavaca episodes (often tied to epic warfare narratives) and avian genealogies.
Khanda Section: Genealogies and Lineages (Daitya–Danava Vamsha / Puranic Genealogy)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Two-part scene: (1) Prahlāda’s clan with armored Nivātakavacas in the background; (2) Tāmrā as a mother-figure with six bird-sons represented as distinct bird forms (crow-like, hawk-like, etc.).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural split-panel: left Prahlāda with rows of stylized armored asuras (Nivātakavacas), right Tāmrā seated with six birds around her, bold outlines, decorative foliage.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore diptych: Prahlāda with gold halo and embossed armor motifs for Nivātakavacas; Tāmrā with six jeweled bird emblems, heavy gold work and temple-arch frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore instructional illustration: labeled ‘Prahlāda-kula’ with grouped warriors; labeled ‘Tāmrā-putrāḥ’ with six bird sketches, neat composition for clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, battlefield camp in one corner showing Nivātakavacas; garden aviary in another with Tāmrā and six birds, fine feather detailing and calligraphic labels."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कोट्यो = कोट्यः (visarga loss before voiced consonant); स्युश् च = स्युः + च; भास्यपि = भासी + अपि
Related Themes: Agni Purana 19 (Daitya/Dānava and pakṣi-vaṃśa lists)
FAQs
No ritual or technical vidyā is taught here; the verse functions as a genealogical register, recording the number and names of Danava lineages associated with Prahlāda and Tāmra.
By cataloguing lineages, population counts (koṭi-based enumeration), and proper names, it preserves mytho-historical data used across Purāṇic narrative, cosmology, and inter-textual cross-referencing—one key way the Agni Purana operates as a compendium.
The significance is indirect: recitation and study of Purāṇic genealogies is traditionally regarded as smṛti-saṃvardhana (strengthening sacred memory) and as supporting dharma by preserving the continuity of sacred history and exemplars.