Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 55
Chapter 12 — श्रीहरिवंशवर्णनं (Śrī-Harivaṃśa-varṇana) | The Description of the Sacred Harivaṃśa
हरी रेमेनेकमूर्तो रुक्मिण्यादिभिरीश्वरः पुत्रानुत्पादयामास त्वसंख्यातान् स यादवान् हरिवंशं पठेत् यः स प्राप्तकामो हरिं व्रजेत्
harī remenekamūrto rukmiṇyādibhirīśvaraḥ putrānutpādayāmāsa tvasaṃkhyātān sa yādavān harivaṃśaṃ paṭhet yaḥ sa prāptakāmo hariṃ vrajet
Hari, der eine Herr, in einer einzigen Gestalt offenbar, spielte in göttlicher Freude mit Rukmiṇī und den anderen Königinnen und zeugte unzählige Söhne — die Yādavas. Wer die Harivaṃśa rezitiert, erlangt die Erfüllung seiner Wünsche und gelangt zu Hari.
Lord Agni (traditionally narrating to sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s discourse frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Stotra","practical_application":"Harivaṃśa/Harivaṃśa-māhātmya style recitation as a devotional practice for iṣṭa-siddhi (wish-fulfillment) and Hari-prāpti (attainment of Viṣṇu).","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Harivaṃśa-pāṭha-phala (Recitation fruit): kāma-siddhi and Hari-prāpti","lookup_keywords":["Harivaṃśa","pāṭha-phala","Rukmiṇī","Yādava-putra","Hari-prāpti"],"quick_summary":"Kṛṣṇa, though one Lord, sports with multiple queens and begets innumerable Yādavas; reciting the Harivaṃśa is taught as a sādhana yielding desired aims and culminating in reaching Hari."}
Alamkara Type: Atishayokti (hyperbole) in 'asaṅkhyātān putrān' (innumerable sons); also arthāntaranyāsa-like phala-śruti closure
Concept: Śravaṇa/pāṭha as a means (upāya) to iṣṭa-siddhi and ultimate Hari-gati; the Lord’s ekatva despite manifold līlā.
Application: Adopt regular Harivaṃśa recitation (pāṭha) with sankalpa for purification and devotion, treating worldly aims as subordinate to Hari-prāpti.
Khanda Section: Vaishnava Itihasa-Purana (Krishna-Charita / Harivamsha-Mahatmya)
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shringara
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Kṛṣṇa as the single sovereign Lord seated in royal splendor, surrounded by Rukmiṇī and other queens; behind them a vast assembly of Yādava sons; a sage/reciter in the foreground chanting Harivaṃśa, suggesting the promised fruit of devotion.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style: central Kṛṣṇa with dark blue complexion, ornate crown and jewelry, seated on a royal throne; Rukmiṇī and other queens in traditional attire flanking; rows of youthful Yādavas in the background; a seated ṛṣi reciting from palm-leaf manuscript; rich reds/ochres/greens, flat iconic composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: Kṛṣṇa enthroned with prabhāmaṇḍala, heavy gold foil work on crown, ornaments, and arch; Rukmiṇī and queens with gem-studded jewelry; stylized Yādava children/sons arranged symmetrically; a small vignette of a devotee reciting Harivaṃśa at the bottom; deep maroon background.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: delicate linework and soft shading; Kṛṣṇa with queens in a palace interior; manuscript-recitation scene clearly shown with palm-leaf and stylus; emphasis on narrative clarity and gentle expressions; muted gold highlights.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: courtly Dvārakā setting with architectural details, patterned textiles; Kṛṣṇa with multiple queens in a durbar-like scene; numerous princes/sons in orderly groups; a learned reciter reading aloud; fine brushwork, naturalistic faces, detailed borders."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हरी→हरिः (visarga restoration); रेमेनेकमूर्तो→रेमे + एकमूर्तः; रुक्मिण्यादिभिरीश्वरः→रुक्मिणी-आदिभिः + ईश्वरः; पुत्रानुत्पादयामास→पुत्रान् + उत्पादयामास; त्वसंख्यातान्→तु + असंख्यातान्; पठेत् यः→पठेत् + यः; हरिं व्रजेत्→हरिम् + व्रजेत्
Related Themes: Agni Purana 12 (Harivaṃśa-varṇana); Agni Purana 13 (Bhārata-kathā-prastāva)
FAQs
It teaches a phala-śruti practice: recitation (pāṭha) of the Harivaṃśa is prescribed as a devotional discipline that grants desired aims and culminates in attaining Hari.
Alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and arts, the Agni Purana also catalogs scriptural merits (māhātmya/phala-śruti) of allied Purāṇic-Itihāsa literature like the Harivaṃśa, showing its broad, compendium-like scope.
It frames Harivaṃśa-recitation as a merit-bearing act that fulfills legitimate desires (kāma-siddhi) and supports liberation-oriented devotion by promising final attainment of Hari.