Agni Purana — Bhuvanakosha & Tirtha-mahatmya, Shloka 4
Chapter 108 — भुवनकोषः
Bhuvana-kośa: The Structure of the Worlds
द्वात्रिंशन्मूर्ध्नि विस्तरात् षोडशाधः सहस्रवान् भूयस्तस्यास्य शैलो ऽसौ कर्णिकाकारसंस्थितः
dvātriṃśanmūrdhni vistarāt ṣoḍaśādhaḥ sahasravān bhūyastasyāsya śailo 'sau karṇikākārasaṃsthitaḥ
Auf seinem Gipfel erstreckt er sich in einer Breite von zweiunddreißigtausend Yojanas; darunter sind es sechzehntausend. Dieser Berg erhebt sich zudem tausend Yojanas hoch und ist in der Gestalt des Lotus-Fruchtknotens (Perikarps) angeordnet.
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Cosmographic visualization for Purāṇic world-model study; aids mapping of Meru’s proportions in teaching/ritual narration.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Meru—summit/base breadth, height, and lotus-pericarp form","lookup_keywords":["Meru","karnikakara","yojana","bhuvana-kosha","lotus-pericarp"],"quick_summary":"Mount Meru is given with precise Purāṇic measures (summit and base breadth, height) and a lotus-pericarp (karṇikā) structural analogy for visualization."}
Concept: Ordered cosmos expressed through number, proportion, and symbolic form (lotus).
Application: Use proportional description as a mnemonic/diagram for cosmology recitation and instruction.
Khanda Section: Cosmology & Sacred Geography (Bhuvana-kosha / Meru-varnana)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Mountain
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A colossal golden Mount Meru shown as a lotus-pericarp: broad summit, narrower base, rising centrally with concentric continents implied.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, central Mount Meru as lotus-pericarp (karṇikā), concentric rings of oceans and dvīpas hinted, flat bold colors, ornate borders, sacred cosmography diagrammatic yet mythic.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Mount Meru rendered as stylized lotus-pericarp with gold leaf highlights, symmetrical composition, jewel-like detailing, concentric halos indicating cosmic layers.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional cosmography plate: Meru with labeled measures (summit 32k, base 16k, height 1k yojanas), delicate lines, muted palette, clear geometry.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, finely detailed central mountain shaped like lotus core, surrounding bands of land and water, precise architectural-like rendering, subtle shading and calligraphic labels."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: dvātriṃśan+mūrdhni → dvātriṃśanmūrdhni; ṣoḍaśa+adhaḥ → ṣoḍaśādhaḥ; śailaḥ+asau → śailo 'sau (visarga sandhi); karṇikā+ākāra+saṃsthitaḥ → karṇikākārasaṃsthitaḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Bhuvana-kosha / Meru-varnana sections (adjacent verses in ch.108)
FAQs
It conveys cosmological and cartographic knowledge: proportional measurements (top breadth, lower breadth, and height) and the lotus-pericarp (karṇikā) model used to describe the world-mountain’s placement.
By preserving technical cosmography—numerical dimensions, spatial modeling, and symbolic geometry—used across Purāṇic literature for sacred geography, pilgrimage mapping, and doctrinal cosmology.
Contemplating the ordered structure of the cosmos (with Meru/lotus symbolism) supports dhārmic worldview and meditative reverence for divine design, reinforcing faith and clarity about sacred space.