Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 8
Abhiṣeka-mantrāḥ
Consecration Mantras
अश्विन्याद्याश् च चन्द्रस्य पुलहस्य तथा प्रियाः भूता च कपिशा दंष्ट्री सुरसा सरमा दनुः
aśvinyādyāś ca candrasya pulahasya tathā priyāḥ bhūtā ca kapiśā daṃṣṭrī surasā saramā danuḥ
Aśvinī and the others are said to be dear to the Moon (Candra); likewise they are dear to Pulaha. They are named: Bhūtā, Kapiśā, Daṃṣṭrī, Surasā, Saramā, and Danu.
Lord Agni (narrating Purāṇic lists to the listener, traditionally Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Name-recall of mythic beings (wives/associates) for purāṇa-paṭhana, saṅkalpa, and identification of deva/ṛṣi affiliations in ritual storytelling.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Candra–Pulaha affiliations: Aśvinī-ādi and Bhūtā–Kapiśā–Daṃṣṭrī–Surasā–Saramā–Danu","lookup_keywords":["Candra dear ones","Pulaha dear ones","Saramā","Danu","Surasā"],"quick_summary":"A compact onomastic list linking named feminine beings to Candra and Pulaha, serving as a mnemonic index within purāṇic cosmology."}
Concept: Paurāṇika knowledge often functions as a structured index—names encode relationships and categories within the cosmos.
Application: Treat lists as lookup tables: when a name appears elsewhere (e.g., Saramā, Danu), recall its network (deva/ṛṣi associations) for coherent interpretation.
Khanda Section: Puranic Cosmology & Genealogies (Devas, Rishis, and their lineages)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A celestial register: Candra (Moon) enthroned with a cool aura; sage Pulaha seated in tapas; around them appear personified figures—Bhūtā, Kapiśā, Daṃṣṭrī, Surasā, Saramā, Danu—each with subtle symbolic traits.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Candra with crescent crown and cool blue-white palette, Pulaha as ascetic sage, surrounding female personifications with distinct colors and attributes (serpentine hint for Surasā, canine messenger hint for Saramā), bold outlines and temple border motifs.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Candra with gold halo and silvered moon disc, Pulaha with gold aureole, attendant figures in ornate jewelry, embossed gold work, symmetrical arrangement.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, labeled figures in a clean didactic composition, soft gradients, emphasis on recognizable iconographic cues for each named being.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, night-sky court of the Moon with delicate stars, Pulaha in a hermitage vignette, named women depicted in refined attire, fine brushwork and calligraphic captions."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अश्विन्याद्याः+च→अश्विन्याद्याश्च
Related Themes: Agni Purana cosmology lists of devī/apsaras/nāginī/dānavī groups (adjacent catalogues)
FAQs
This verse primarily imparts onomastic and cosmological knowledge—an enumerative identification of named beings associated as ‘beloved’ to Candra and Pulaha—rather than a direct ritual procedure.
It exemplifies the Agni Purana’s cataloguing style: preserving Purāṇic databases of names, affiliations, and relationships among devas/ṛṣis, which function as reference material alongside its sections on ritual, polity, medicine, and poetics.
Knowing and reciting Purāṇic names and affiliations is traditionally treated as smṛti-based merit (puṇya) through remembrance (smaraṇa) of divine/cosmic order, supporting devotional recollection and scriptural literacy.