Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 14
Somavaṃśa-saṃkṣepaḥ
Conclusion of the Lunar Dynasty Description
शशविन्दोश् च पुत्त्राणां शतानामभवच्छतम् धीमतां चारुरूपाणां भूरिद्रविणतेजसाम्
śaśavindoś ca puttrāṇāṃ śatānāmabhavacchatam dhīmatāṃ cārurūpāṇāṃ bhūridraviṇatejasām
And of Śaśavindu’s sons—though they were in the hundreds—there was reckoned a full hundred, all intelligent, handsome in form, and endowed with abundant wealth and splendor.
Lord Agni (narrating the Purana to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Genealogical cataloging and royal eulogy (praśasti) elements: portraying progeny as markers of prosperity, continuity, and political strength.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Śaśavindu’s hundred sons: qualities (dhīmat, cārurūpa, bhūridravina-tejas)","lookup_keywords":["Śaśavindu sons","hundred princes","dhīmat","cārurūpa","draviṇa-tejas"],"quick_summary":"States that Śaśavindu had a hundred notable sons, characterized by intelligence, beauty, wealth, and splendor—standard Purāṇic markers of a flourishing dynasty."}
Alamkara Type: Anuprasa (mild alliteration) and Guṇa-kīrtana (eulogistic listing of qualities)
Concept: Prosperity is portrayed as multi-dimensional: intellect (dhī), beauty (rūpa), wealth (draviṇa), and radiance (tejas) together signify a well-ordered reign.
Application: In rāja-nīti narratives, evaluate ‘success’ beyond wealth alone—include education, character, and public splendor as social capital.
Khanda Section: Puranic Genealogies (Vamsha-Charita / Dynastic Accounts)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A panoramic royal family depiction: Śaśavindu with a large assembly of princes, each shown as youthful, radiant, and richly adorned—symbolizing abundance and continuity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style; long frieze of a hundred princes in rhythmic repetition, each with similar crowns and ornaments; Śaśavindu centered; bright reds, greens, ochres; stylized faces and lotus motifs.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold; central king with two rows of princes flanking, heavy jewelry and gold halos; emphasis on opulence and tejas through gold embossing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting; orderly court assembly with labeled groups ‘śata-putrāḥ’; fine detailing of garments; calm didactic composition highlighting qualities (books for dhī, mirrors/garlands for rūpa, treasure for draviṇa, aura for tejas).","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature; crowded durbar scene with many princes, individualized costumes, jewel tones; architectural backdrop; subtle halos to indicate tejas."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"uplifting","suggested_raga":"Bilawal","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: śatānām abhavat śatam → śatānāmabhavacchatam (t + ś → cch); śaśavindoś → śaśavindoḥ; cārurūpāṇām (compound) kept as one pada.
Related Themes: Agni Purana genealogical praise formulas in adjacent verses
FAQs
No ritual or technical vidyā is taught here; the verse functions as a genealogical record describing Śaśavindu’s progeny and their qualities.
By preserving dynastic and genealogical data (vamśa), it complements the Agni Purana’s wide scope—alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and arts—documenting royal lineages and their attributes as part of cultural-historical memory.
Implicitly, it reinforces the Purāṇic ideal that prosperity and radiance (draviṇa, tejas) align with virtue and capability (dhī), presenting exemplary royal progeny as a model of auspicious merit.