Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 50
Somavaṃśa-saṃkṣepaḥ
Conclusion of the Lunar Dynasty Description
कीर्तिमान् भद्रसेनश् च जारुख्यो विष्णुदासकः भद्रदेहः कंश एतान् षड्गर्भान्निजघान ह
kīrtimān bhadrasenaś ca jārukhyo viṣṇudāsakaḥ bhadradehaḥ kaṃśa etān ṣaḍgarbhānnijaghāna ha
Kīrtimān, Bhadrasena, Jārukhya, Viṣṇudāsaka, and Bhadradeha—Kamsa indeed slew these, the six embryos.
Lord Agni (narrating the Purana’s account to Vasiṣṭha, in the standard Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Remembering the Kamsa-atrocity motif (slaying of Devakī’s embryos) as a narrative trigger for Kṛṣṇa’s descent and as an ethical exemplar of adharma leading to downfall.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Kaṃsa’s slaying of Devakī’s six embryos","lookup_keywords":["Kaṃsa ṣaḍgarbha","Devakī embryos","Kīrtimān Bhadrasena","Jārukhya Viṣṇudāsaka","Bhadradeha"],"quick_summary":"Names the six embryos/sons associated with Devakī whom Kaṃsa kills, highlighting the tyrant’s adharma and setting the karmic stage for Kṛṣṇa’s appearance."}
Concept: Adharma (cruelty, fear-driven violence) accelerates one’s ruin; harm to the innocent becomes the seed of divine retribution and restoration of order.
Application: Ethical instruction in discourse: condemn violence against the vulnerable; illustrate karmic consequence and the necessity of protecting dependents.
Khanda Section: Avataras & Puranic Genealogies (Krishna–Kamsa narrative; Harivamsha-style lineage/episodes)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: City
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dark palace-prison scene: Kaṃsa in rage, Devakī grieving, the tragic killing of the six embryos/infants symbolized (often shown as infants or as luminous embryos), with ominous shadows and guards.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, dramatic yet stylized: Kaṃsa with fierce eyes and raised weapon, Devakī and Vasudeva in sorrow, prison bars, oil lamps; subdued reds and blacks, expressive gestures, divine fate hinted by a faint celestial glow above.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, narrative panel with gold accents on crowns and weapons; Kaṃsa central, Devakī to side with tearful face; symbolic six small cradles/lotus-buds representing embryos; ornate frame, devotional cautionary tone.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, controlled emotion and clear storytelling; prison architecture carefully drawn; six lotus-bud icons labeled with names; emphasis on didactic clarity rather than gore.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed prison interior, Kaṃsa in royal attire, guards, Devakī and Vasudeva restrained; small vignettes or symbolic infants; muted palette, fine linework, calligraphic labels for the six names."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: bhadrasenaś ca = bhadrasenaḥ + ca (visarga sandhi); ṣaḍgarbhānnijaghāna = ṣaḍgarbhān + nijaghāna (n + n assimilation).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 275 (Kṛṣṇa birth context immediately following)
FAQs
No ritual or technical vidyā is taught here; the verse functions as narrative cataloging—naming the six embryos/sons associated with Devakī’s pregnancy whom Kaṃsa kills.
By preserving precise onomastic detail (names and counts) within the Krishna–Kamsa cycle, the Agni Purana acts as a compendium that consolidates mythic history, dynastic memory, and episode-based summaries across traditions.
The verse highlights the grave adharma of foeticide/infanticide attributed to Kaṃsa, underscoring karmic consequence and setting the moral-theological backdrop for divine intervention in the Krishna narrative.