Agni Purana — Bhuvanakosha & Tirtha-mahatmya, Shloka 4
Chapter 108 — भुवनकोषः
Bhuvana-kośa: The Structure of the Worlds
द्वात्रिंशन्मूर्ध्नि विस्तरात् षोडशाधः सहस्रवान् भूयस्तस्यास्य शैलो ऽसौ कर्णिकाकारसंस्थितः
dvātriṃśanmūrdhni vistarāt ṣoḍaśādhaḥ sahasravān bhūyastasyāsya śailo 'sau karṇikākārasaṃsthitaḥ
À son sommet, il s’étend sur une largeur de trente-deux mille yojanas ; au-dessous, de seize mille. Cette montagne, en outre, s’élève à mille yojanas de hauteur et se tient disposée à la manière du réceptacle (péricarpe) du lotus.
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Cosmographic visualization for Purāṇic world-model study; aids mapping of Meru’s proportions in teaching/ritual narration.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Meru—summit/base breadth, height, and lotus-pericarp form","lookup_keywords":["Meru","karnikakara","yojana","bhuvana-kosha","lotus-pericarp"],"quick_summary":"Mount Meru is given with precise Purāṇic measures (summit and base breadth, height) and a lotus-pericarp (karṇikā) structural analogy for visualization."}
Concept: Ordered cosmos expressed through number, proportion, and symbolic form (lotus).
Application: Use proportional description as a mnemonic/diagram for cosmology recitation and instruction.
Khanda Section: Cosmology & Sacred Geography (Bhuvana-kosha / Meru-varnana)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Mountain
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A colossal golden Mount Meru shown as a lotus-pericarp: broad summit, narrower base, rising centrally with concentric continents implied.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, central Mount Meru as lotus-pericarp (karṇikā), concentric rings of oceans and dvīpas hinted, flat bold colors, ornate borders, sacred cosmography diagrammatic yet mythic.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Mount Meru rendered as stylized lotus-pericarp with gold leaf highlights, symmetrical composition, jewel-like detailing, concentric halos indicating cosmic layers.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional cosmography plate: Meru with labeled measures (summit 32k, base 16k, height 1k yojanas), delicate lines, muted palette, clear geometry.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, finely detailed central mountain shaped like lotus core, surrounding bands of land and water, precise architectural-like rendering, subtle shading and calligraphic labels."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: dvātriṃśan+mūrdhni → dvātriṃśanmūrdhni; ṣoḍaśa+adhaḥ → ṣoḍaśādhaḥ; śailaḥ+asau → śailo 'sau (visarga sandhi); karṇikā+ākāra+saṃsthitaḥ → karṇikākārasaṃsthitaḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Bhuvana-kosha / Meru-varnana sections (adjacent verses in ch.108)
FAQs
It conveys cosmological and cartographic knowledge: proportional measurements (top breadth, lower breadth, and height) and the lotus-pericarp (karṇikā) model used to describe the world-mountain’s placement.
By preserving technical cosmography—numerical dimensions, spatial modeling, and symbolic geometry—used across Purāṇic literature for sacred geography, pilgrimage mapping, and doctrinal cosmology.
Contemplating the ordered structure of the cosmos (with Meru/lotus symbolism) supports dhārmic worldview and meditative reverence for divine design, reinforcing faith and clarity about sacred space.