Agni Purana — Bhuvanakosha & Tirtha-mahatmya, Shloka 20
Chapter 109 — Tīrtha-mahātmya
The Glory of Sacred Pilgrimage Places
तीर्थं राजगृहं पुण्यं शालग्राममघान्तकं ञ्ज्ञमिति छ भीमातीर्थमिति घ वामाद्दिवं ब्रजेदिति ज ब्रह्मलोकग इति ख , ग , घ , ङ , छ , ज च तत्र कर्णह्रदं तथेति ख भद्रकं तु ह्रदं तथेति ग , ङ च गङ्गोद्भेदमवन्तिकमिति ज वटेशं वामन्न्तीर्थं कालिकासङ्गमुत्तमं
tīrthaṃ rājagṛhaṃ puṇyaṃ śālagrāmamaghāntakaṃ ñjñamiti cha bhīmātīrthamiti gha vāmāddivaṃ brajediti ja brahmalokaga iti kha , ga , gha , ṅa , cha , ja ca tatra karṇahradaṃ tatheti kha bhadrakaṃ tu hradaṃ tatheti ga , ṅa ca gaṅgodbhedamavantikamiti ja vaṭeśaṃ vāmanntīrthaṃ kālikāsaṅgamuttamaṃ
« Le tīrtha sacré nommé Rājagṛha est source de mérite ; de même Śālagrāma, qui ôte le péché. Dans certaines recensions on lit “Ñjña” ; dans une autre, “Bhīma-tīrtha”. Certains lisent : “De Vāmana on va au ciel” ; et, dans plusieurs recensions, il est dit que l’on “atteint le monde de Brahmā (Brahma-loka)”. Là, certains lisent aussi “Karṇa-hrada”, d’autres “Bhadraka-hrada”. Une autre leçon ajoute “Gaṅgodbheda” et “Avantikā”. Sont encore mentionnés Vaṭeśa, Vāmana-tīrtha et l’excellente confluence appelée Kālikā-saṅgama. »
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Samanya","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Text-critical and practical pilgrimage use: recognizing variant readings (pāṭhabheda) while preserving the functional tīrtha-list for travel, vow-making, and merit accounting.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Tīrtha-list with pāṭhabheda: Rājagṛha, Śālagrāma, Bhīma-tīrtha, Karṇa/Bhadraka-hrada, Avantikā, Vaṭeśa, Vāmana-tīrtha, Kālikā-saṅgama","lookup_keywords":["Rājagṛha tīrtha","Śālagrāma","pāṭhabheda","Avantikā","Kālikā-saṅgama"],"quick_summary":"This verse preserves a tīrtha catalogue while explicitly noting recension variants, showing how the tradition maintained sacred-geography lists despite manuscript differences; it still functions as a usable itinerary and smaraṇa-text."}
Concept: Authority through transmission: sacred knowledge is preserved via recensions; practical dharma remains accessible even with textual variants.
Application: When using a tīrtha-list for vrata/yātrā, accept regional naming differences; focus on the intended rite (snāna, dāna, smaraṇa) rather than disputing labels.
Khanda Section: Tirtha-Mahatmya (Sacred Geography and Pilgrimage Merit)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A manuscript-scribe scene juxtaposed with a pilgrimage map: a pandit comparing palm-leaf manuscripts noting variant readings, while a stylized route links Rājagṛha, Śālagrāma, Avantikā, and smaller tīrthas like Vaṭeśa and Kālikā-saṅgama.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, scholar-scribes with palm-leaf manuscripts and stylus, beside a symbolic sacred map with river confluences and banyan (vaṭa) shrine, labels in decorative panels, warm earthy palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central seated scholar with manuscript, gold-leaf highlighting key tīrtha names, surrounding medallions for Rājagṛha, Śālagrāma stone, Avantikā temple silhouette, and a confluence scene for Kālikā-saṅgama.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, didactic composition: left side shows pāṭhabheda notes (multiple name labels), right side shows corresponding tīrtha icons (stone, lake, confluence, banyan shrine), fine linework and clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly scholar comparing manuscripts with marginal notes, behind him a detailed itinerary scroll with miniature landscapes for Rajgir hills, Gandaki river with Śālagrāma stones, Ujjain temple, and a confluence scene."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankara","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Verse contains many पाठचिह्न/variant markers (ख, ग, घ, ङ, छ, ज) and editorial notes; treated as indeclinable textual markers. वामाद्दिवम् = वामात् + दिवम् (त् + द् → द्द्). गङ्गोद्भेदम् = गङ्गा + उद्भेदम् (आ + उ → ओ). वामन्न्तीर्थम् normalized to वामनतीर्थम् (likely scribal doubling).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 109.16–109.19 (preceding tīrtha lists); continuation of tīrtha-mahātmya material beyond 109.20
FAQs
It transmits tīrtha-vidyā: a catalog of pilgrimage-sites and the stated fruit (phala) of visiting—such as sin-destruction and attainment of heavenly realms (including Brahmaloka), along with variant readings preserved across recensions.
By functioning as a gazetteer of sacred Indian geography—naming regions, lakes, confluences, and shrine-titles—while also preserving textual variant traditions, it shows the Agni Purana’s compendious method of recording ritual practice, place-lore, and transmission history.
The verse frames these places as merit-generating (puṇya) and sin-removing (aghāntaka), with the promised karmic fruits of elevated post-mortem destinations (svarga/diva and Brahmaloka) through pilgrimage and sacred contact.