Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 10
Chapter 12 — श्रीहरिवंशवर्णनं (Śrī-Harivaṃśa-varṇana) | The Description of the Sacred Harivaṃśa
समर्पितास्तु देवक्या विवाहसमयेरिताः सा क्षिप्ता बालिका कंसम् आकाशस्थाब्रवीदिदम्
samarpitāstu devakyā vivāhasamayeritāḥ sā kṣiptā bālikā kaṃsam ākāśasthābravīdidam
Mais les enfants, remis par Devakī au moment de ses noces comme il l’avait exigé, furent précipités par Kaṁsa ; alors une fillette, demeurant dans le ciel, prononça ces paroles.
Narrator (Agni Purana’s puranic narrator voice; traditionally Agni instructing Vasiṣṭha in the frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Cosmology","practical_application":"Krishna-janma narrative used for teaching daiva-vidhi (inevitability of destiny) and for devotional recitation in Janmashtami/Krishna-katha contexts.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Kamsa casts down the infants; the sky-voice maiden speaks","lookup_keywords":["Devaki marriage","Kamsa infant killing","akashavani","yogamaya maiden","prophecy"],"quick_summary":"The verse sets the narrative trigger: Kamsa’s violence against Devaki’s offered children is answered by a supernatural sky-abiding maiden’s speech, establishing divine intervention and the coming avatara."}
Alamkara Type: Adbhuta (wonder) via divya-vyapara; also Vakrokti through sudden sky-speech
Concept: Daiva (destiny) overrides adharmic power; divine speech checks tyrannical violence.
Application: Cultivate restraint and dharma; interpret adversity as not final when aligned with righteous order.
Khanda Section: Avataras & Krishna-Charita (Puranic Narrative Section)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Kamsa in a royal chamber casting down an infant; above, a radiant maiden figure suspended in the sky delivering a prophecy; attendants recoil in fear.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat vibrant colors, Kamsa in Mathura palace throwing an infant, celestial maiden in the sky with halo, expressive eyes, ornate jewelry, traditional mural borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Kamsa with royal ornaments, infant in motion, sky-maiden with embossed gold halo and jewelry, rich reds and greens, temple-like arch framing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, delicate linework, narrative palace interior, subtle shading, sky-maiden speaking with gesture of admonition, inscriptions-like caption panel","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed palace architecture, courtiers, dynamic gesture of Kamsa, small luminous figure in the sky with speech scroll, fine textiles and perspective"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: samarpitāstu = samarpitāḥ + tu; vivāhasamayeritāḥ split as vivāha-samaye + īritāḥ; ākāśasthābravīdidam = ākāśa-sthā + abravīt + idam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Krishna-janma and Kamsa-vadha narrative sequence (same khanda); Agni Purana Devi-stuti/name-recitation sections for protective speech motifs
FAQs
This verse is primarily itihāsa–purāṇa narrative (avatāra-kathā), not a ritual manual; it establishes the prophetic divine intervention (ākāśa-sthā/ākāśa-vāṇī) that triggers the subsequent events leading to Kṛṣṇa’s descent.
Alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and poetics, the Agni Purana preserves avatāra narratives; this verse exemplifies the text’s purāṇic historiography—linking cosmic purpose (prophecy) with political action (Kaṁsa’s violence).
It highlights adharma’s consequence: tyrannical acts against the innocent invite divine correction, and the prophecy signals that destiny aligned with dharma cannot be prevented by force.