Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 1
Somavaṁśa-varṇanam
Description of the Lunar Dynasty
इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे सुर्यवंशकीर्तनं नाम द्विसप्तत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः सकर्माभूदिति ख , छ , च अथ त्रिसप्तत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः सोमवंशवर्णनं अग्निर् उवाच सोमवंशं प्रवक्ष्यामि पठितं पापनाशनम् विष्णुनाभ्यब्जजो ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मपुत्रो ऽत्रिरत्रितः नीलाञ्जको रधुः क्रोष्टुः शतजिच्च सहस्रजित्
ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe suryavaṃśakīrtanaṃ nāma dvisaptatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ sakarmābhūditi kha , cha , ca atha trisaptatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ somavaṃśavarṇanaṃ agnir uvāca somavaṃśaṃ pravakṣyāmi paṭhitaṃ pāpanāśanam viṣṇunābhyabjajo brahmā brahmaputro 'triratritaḥ nīlāñjako radhuḥ kroṣṭuḥ śatajicca sahasrajit
Thus, in the Agni Mahāpurāṇa, the two-hundred-and-seventy-second chapter is called “The Account of the Solar Dynasty” (in some recensions: “that became an act/rite”). Now begins the two-hundred-and-seventy-third chapter, “Description of the Lunar Dynasty.” Agni said: “I shall expound the Lunar Dynasty; when recited, it destroys sin. From the lotus born from Viṣṇu’s navel arose Brahmā; his son here was Atri (Atratī). From him came Nīlāñjaka, Radhu, Kroṣṭu, Śatajit, and Sahasrajit.”},{
Lord Agni
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Cosmology","practical_application":"Genealogical recitation (vamsha-anukirtana) for smriti, ritual narration, and framing dharmic kingship lineages; used in pravachana and in situating later narratives.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Somavamsha—Origin from Vishnu–Brahma–Atri and early descendants","lookup_keywords":["Somavamsha","Atri","Vishnu-nabhi-padma","Brahma-putra","Kroshtu"],"quick_summary":"Introduces the Lunar Dynasty as a sin-destroying recitation and lists its cosmogonic origin (Viṣṇu→Brahmā→Atri) with early descendants, establishing the narrative scaffold for later royal lineages."}
Alamkara Type: Anuprasa (light alliteration) / Itivritta-style enumeration
Concept: Śravaṇa–pāṭha of purāṇic vamśa as pāpa-nāśana (sin-destroying) and as a dharmic memory of cosmic-human continuity.
Application: Use as a recitation segment in purāṇa-pāraṇa, śrāddha/vaṃśa-smaraṇa contexts, and teaching kingship legitimacy through sacred descent.
Khanda Section: Vamsha-anukirtana (Genealogies: Suryavamsha & Somavamsha)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Agni as narrator proclaiming the Lunar Dynasty; a cosmic tableau of Viṣṇu reclining with a lotus from his navel bearing Brahmā, with sages/ancestors (Atri and early descendants) arranged as a lineage procession.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural, deep mineral colors, Viṣṇu in Anantaśayana with nābhi-padma and Brahmā seated, Agni rishi narrating at side, lineage sages in registers, ornate floral borders, traditional stylization","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold leaf, central Viṣṇu reclining on Śeṣa, raised lotus with Brahmā, embossed jewelry, Agni as seated sage with palm-leaf manuscript, small medallions naming Atri and descendants","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, delicate linework and soft shading, instructional genealogy scroll layout: Viṣṇu→Brahmā→Atri branching to Nīlāñjaka/Radhu/Kroṣṭu/Śatajit/Sahasrajit, with subtle halos and captions","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, fine detailing, cosmic ocean scene with Viṣṇu on serpent couch, lotus and Brahmā, courtly-style genealogical figures in a neat row with calligraphic labels, balanced composition"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Resolved: ity→iti; mahāpurāṇe (mahā+purāṇe); dvisaptatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ→...tamaḥ adhyāyaḥ; sakarmābhūt→sa-karmā abhūt; trisaptatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ→...tamaḥ adhyāyaḥ; agnir uvāca→agniḥ uvāca; brahmaputro 'triḥ→brahma-putraḥ atriḥ; 'triratritaḥ interpreted as atriḥ atritaḥ (genealogical ‘from Atri’); śatajicca→śatajīt ca.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Suryavamsha-kirtana (preceding chapter); Agni Purana: subsequent Somavamsha expansion (later verses/chapters in the same khanda)
FAQs
It teaches the purāṇic practice of śravaṇa/pāṭha (hearing/recitation) of dynastic genealogies as a meritorious act, explicitly stating that reciting the Somavaṃśa account is pāpa-nāśana (sin-destroying).
By cataloging cosmological origins (Viṣṇu → navel-lotus → Brahmā) and royal-sage lineages (Brahmā → Atri → descendants), it functions as an archival index of mytho-historical data—one of the Agni Purāṇa’s core encyclopedic modes alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and arts.
The verse assigns karmic efficacy to textual engagement: recitation of the Lunar Dynasty narrative is presented as a purifier that destroys accumulated pāpa, reinforcing purāṇic pāṭha as a sādhanā (devotional discipline).