Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 38
Śrīrāmāvatāravarṇanam (Description of Śrī Rāma’s Incarnation) — Ayodhyā Abhiṣeka, Vanavāsa, Daśaratha’s Death, Bharata’s Regency
कौमारे शरयूतीरे यज्ञदत्तकुमारकः शब्दभेदाच्च कुम्भेन शब्दं कुर्वंश् च तत्पिता
kaumāre śarayūtīre yajñadattakumārakaḥ śabdabhedācca kumbhena śabdaṃ kurvaṃś ca tatpitā
In his boyhood, on the bank of the river Śarayū, the boy named Yajñadatta—owing to a misapprehension in distinguishing a sound—was making a noise with a water-pot; and his father was there as well.
Lord Agni (narrating the Purāṇic material to Vasiṣṭha, standard Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Serves as a narrative setup for an ethical lesson: misperception (śabda-bheda) can cause unintended harm; stresses caution in action based on uncertain sensory data.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Śabda-bheda (sound-misapprehension) on the Śarayū bank: Yajñadatta episode setup","lookup_keywords":["Śarayū","śabda-bheda","kumbha-śabda","Yajñadatta","misperception"],"quick_summary":"A boy makes sound with a water-pot on the riverbank; the motif of mistaken identification of sound foreshadows tragic error and teaches careful verification before acting."}
Concept: Pramāda (carelessness) and bhrānti (error) arising from sensory misreading can generate grave karma.
Application: Verify targets and context before decisive action; in governance, hunting, or conflict, require confirmation to prevent harm to innocents.
Khanda Section: Itihasa-Puranic Narrative (Exemplum/Legend used for instruction)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: River
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A young boy on the Śarayū riverbank playfully strikes or taps a water-pot, creating loud echoes; nearby, his father is present in the riverside setting.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, lush riverbank with stylized waves, boy holding a kumbha making sound, father figure nearby, warm greens and ochres, gentle yet ominous undertone.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, riverbank scene with decorative water patterns, boy and pot central, subtle gold highlights on pot and ornaments, background trees and a calm horizon.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear depiction of the kumbha and the action producing sound, instructional clarity, soft colors, detailed shoreline plants and ripples.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, naturalistic river landscape, boy mid-action with pot, father slightly behind, fine detailing of reeds, birds, and water reflections, narrative calm before tragedy."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Khamaj","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शरयूतीरे = शरयू-तीरे; यज्ञदत्तकुमारकः = यज्ञदत्त-कुमारकः; शब्दभेदाच्च = शब्द-भेदात् + च; कुर्वंश् = कुर्वन्; तत्पिता = तत्-पिता.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: narrative exempla sections illustrating karma and rājadharma; Agni Purana: any dhanur/śastra ethics passages (non-harming, target verification)
FAQs
It introduces a didactic setup centered on śabda-bheda—how a mere distinction or misunderstanding of sound/word can lead to consequential interpretation, forming the basis for a teaching episode.
The Agni Purāṇa often embeds technical points (here, sound/word distinction) inside compact narratives; this method lets it cover diverse disciplines—language, conduct, and doctrine—through memorable exempla.
It signals that care in speech and interpretation matters: errors arising from sound-confusion can produce real outcomes, so disciplined attention (in hearing, speaking, and judging) is spiritually and ethically significant.