Adhyaya 270

Verse 1

इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे विष्णुपञ्जरं नामोनसप्रत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः अथ सप्तत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः वेदशाखदिकीर्तनं पुष्कर उवाच सर्वानुग्राहका मन्त्राश् चतुर्वर्गप्रसाधकाः ऋगथर्व तथा साम यजुः संख्या तु लक्षकं

Thus, in the Agni Mahāpurāṇa ends the chapter called “Viṣṇu-pañjara,” the two-hundred-and-sixty-ninth. Now begins the two-hundred-and-seventieth chapter, “Enumeration of the Vedic branches.” Puṣkara said: “The mantras are beneficent to all and accomplish the four human aims (dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa). The Ṛg-, Atharva-, Sāma-, and Yajur-vedas—(their) mantra count is one hundred thousand.”

Verse 2

भेदः साङ्ख्यायनश् चैक आश्वलायनो द्वितीयकः शतानि दश मन्त्राणां ब्राह्मणा द्विसहस्रकं

The recensional divisions are: the Sāṅkhyāyana as one, and the Āśvalāyana as the second. The mantras number ten hundreds (i.e., one thousand), and the Brāhmaṇa passages are two thousand.

Verse 3

ऋग्वेदो हि प्रमाणेन स्मृतो द्वैपायनादिभिः एकोनिद्विसहस्रन्तु मन्त्राणां यजुषस् तथा

Indeed, the Ṛgveda is remembered as authoritative (pramāṇa) by Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa) and other sages; likewise, the Yajurveda is said to contain 1,991 mantras.

Verse 4

शतानि दश विप्राणां षडशीतिश् च शाखिकाः काण्वमाध्यन्दिनी संज्ञा कठी माध्यकठी तथा

Among the Brahmins there are one hundred and ten (groups), and eighty-six branches (śākhās). They are known by the names Kāṇva and Mādhyandinī, and likewise Kaṭhī and Mādhyakaṭhī.

Verse 5

मैत्रायणी च संज्ञा च तैत्तिरीयाभिधानिका वैशम्पायनिकेत्याद्याः शाखा यजुषि संस्थिताः

The śākhās established within the Yajus (Yajurveda) are: the Maitrāyaṇī, the Saṃjñā, the one known as Taittirīya, and those beginning with the Vaiśampāyanika—these are the branches situated in the Yajus.

Verse 6

साम्नः कौथुमसंज्ञैका द्वितीयाथर्वणायनी गानान्यपि च चत्वारि वेद आरण्यकन्तथा

In the Sāma-veda, one recension is known as Kauthuma; the second is Atharvaṇāyanī. There are also four sets of Sāman-chants; and likewise the Veda has its Āraṇyaka (forest treatise).

Verse 7

उक्था ऊहचतुर्थञ्च मन्त्रा नवसहस्रकाः सचतुःशतकाश् चैव ब्रह्मसङ्घटकाः स्मृताः

The Uktha and the Ūha—together with the “fourth” (supplementary class)—are mantras numbering nine thousand and four hundred; these are remembered as the brahma-saṅghaṭakas, the compiled units of Vedic mantras.

Verse 8

पञ्चविंशतिरेवात्र साममानं प्रकीर्तितं सुमन्तुर्जाजलिश् चैव श्लोकायनिरथर्वके

Here, the Sāma-measure (Sāma-pramāṇa) is declared to be twenty-five. In the Atharva tradition, Sumantu, Jājali, and Ślokāyana are also recognized and mentioned.

Verse 9

शौनकः पिप्पलादश् च मुञ्जकेशादयो ऽपरे मन्त्राणामयुतं षष्टिशतञ्चोपनिषच्छतं

Śaunaka, Pippalāda, and others such as Muñjakeśa are reckoned among the ṛṣis; they are associated with ten thousand mantras and a total of six hundred Upaniṣads.

Verse 10

व्यासरूपी स भगवान् शाखाभेदद्यकारयत् शाखाभेदादयो विष्णुरितिहासः पुराणकं

That Blessed Lord, assuming the form of Vyāsa, caused the division into Vedic recensions and related classifications to be made; and it is taught that Viṣṇu is the source of such divisions, as well as of Itihāsa (epic history) and the Purāṇa tradition.

Verse 11

प्राप्य व्यासात् पुराणादि सूतो वै लोमहर्षणः सुमतिश्चाग्निवर्चाश् च मित्रयुःशिंशपायनः

Having received the Purāṇas and allied lore from Vyāsa, the Sūta—Lomaharṣaṇa—taught them, together with Sumati, Agnivarcā, Mitrayu, and Śiṁśapāyana.

Verse 12

कृतव्रतोथ सावर्णिः षट्शिष्यास्तस्य चाभवन् शांशपायनादयश् चक्रुः पुराणानान्तु संहिताः

Then there was Sāvarṇi, named Kṛtavrata. He had six disciples; beginning with Śāṃśapāyana, they compiled the saṃhitās—the recensions—of the Purāṇas.

Verse 13

ब्राह्मादीनि पुराणानि हरिविद्या दशाष्ट च महापुराणे ह्य् आग्नेये विद्यारूपो हरिः स्थितः

The Purāṇas beginning with the Brāhma, and the eighteen branches of knowledge connected with Hari—indeed, in the great Purāṇa called the Āgneya, Hari abides as Knowledge itself.

Verse 14

सप्रपञ्चो निष्प्रपञ्चो मूर्तामूर्तस्वरूपधृक् तं ज्ञात्वाभ्यर्च्य संस्तूय भुक्तिमुक्तिमवाप्नुयात्

He is with manifestation and beyond manifestation; he upholds a nature that is both with form and without form. Knowing him thus, and worshipping and praising him, one may attain both worldly enjoyment and liberation.

Verse 15

विष्णुर्जिष्णुर्भविष्णुश् च अग्निसूर्यादिरूपवान् अग्निरूपेण देवादेर्मुखं विष्णुः परा गतिः

Vishnu—victorious (Jiṣṇu) and ever-becoming (Bhaviṣṇu)—assumes forms such as Fire and the Sun. In the form of Agni he is the mouth of the gods; Vishnu is the supreme goal, the final refuge.

Verse 16

वेदेषु सपुराणेषु यज्ञमूर्तिश् च गीयते आग्नेयाख्यं पुराणन्तु रूपं विष्णोर्महत्तरं

In the Vedas, together with the Purāṇas, He is praised as the very embodiment of sacrifice (Yajña). Yet the Purāṇa known as the Āgneya is an even greater manifestation—a more exalted form of Viṣṇu.

Verse 17

आग्नेयाख्यपुराणस्य कर्ता श्रोता जनार्दनः तस्मात्पुराणमाग्नेयं सर्ववेदमयं महत्

Of the Purāṇa called the Āgneya, Janārdana (Lord Viṣṇu) is both the composer and the hearer; therefore the Āgneya Purāṇa is a great work, embodying the essence of all the Vedas.

Verse 18

सर्वविद्यामयं पुण्यं सर्वज्ञानमयं वरम् सर्वात्म हरिरूपं हि पठतां शृण्वतां नृणां

For those who recite it and those who listen, it is holy—made of every discipline of knowledge; excellent—made of all wisdom; indeed, it is the very form of Hari, the Self of all.

Verse 19

विद्यार्थिनाञ्च विद्यादमर्थिनां श्रीधनप्रदम् राज्यार्थिनां राज्यदञ्च धर्मदं धर्मकामिनाम्

It grants learning to seekers of knowledge; it bestows auspicious prosperity and wealth upon those who desire riches; it grants sovereignty to those who seek a kingdom; and it bestows dharma upon those who long for righteousness.

Verse 20

स्वर्गार्थिनां स्वर्गदञ्च पुत्रदं पुत्रकामिनां गवादिकामिनाङ्गोदं ग्रामदं ग्रामकामिनां

For those who seek heaven, it grants heaven; for those who desire a son, it grants a son. For those who desire cattle and the like, it grants the gift of cows; for those who desire a village, it grants a village.

Verse 21

शिंशपायनादयश् चक्रुरिति ख परमिति ञ श्रीबलप्रदमिति ञ कामार्थिनां कामदञ्च सर्वसौभाग्यसम्प्रदम् गुणकीर्तिप्रदन्नॄणां जयदञ्जयकामिनाम्

“Śiṃśapāyana and others composed (this),” thus is indicated by “kha”; “supreme,” thus by “ña”; and “the giver of prosperity and strength,” thus by “ña.” It fulfills the desires of those who seek pleasures, bestows every kind of good fortune, grants people virtue and fame, and gives victory to those who long for triumph.

Verse 22

सर्वेप्सूनां सर्वदन्तु मुक्तिदं मुक्तिकामिनां पापघ्नं पापकर्तॄणामाग्नेयं हि पुराणकम्

Indeed, this Agneya Purāṇa grants all desired attainments to all seekers; it bestows liberation upon those who long for liberation, and it destroys sin even for those who commit sin.