Agni Purana — Bhuvanakosha & Tirtha-mahatmya, Shloka 6
Adhyaya 120 — भुवनकोषः
Bhuvanakośa: Cosmic Geography and Cosmological Measures
भूमेर्योजनलक्षन्तु विशिष्ठरविमण्डलं रवेर् लक्षेण चन्द्रश् च लक्षान्नाक्षत्रमिन्दुतः
bhūmeryojanalakṣantu viśiṣṭharavimaṇḍalaṃ raver lakṣeṇa candraś ca lakṣānnākṣatramindutaḥ
On dit que le disque du Soleil a une étendue de cent mille yojanas par rapport à la Terre ; la Lune est (mesurée à) cent mille (yojanas) par rapport au Soleil ; et depuis la Lune, le cercle des demeures stellaires (nakṣatra-maṇḍala) est de cent mille (yojanas).
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha, in the standard Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Jyotisha","secondary_vidya":"Cosmology","practical_application":"Provides Purāṇic astronomical distances (yojana measures) used for cosmographic mapping and traditional explanatory models of graha–nakṣatra spacing.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Yojana measures: Earth–Sun–Moon–Nakṣatra circle","lookup_keywords":["yojana","ravi-maṇḍala","candra","nakṣatra-maṇḍala","cosmic distance"],"quick_summary":"The verse states a stepwise scale of 100,000 yojanas between Earth and the Sun’s disk, Sun and Moon, and Moon and the nakṣatra circle—forming a basic Purāṇic distance ladder."}
Concept: The cosmos is intelligible through māna (measure) and ordered spheres; knowledge of celestial structure is a legitimate auxiliary science.
Application: Use as a mnemonic scaffold for teaching traditional cosmography and for aligning ritual imagination (saṅkalpa) with a structured universe.
Khanda Section: Jyotiṣa & Paurāṇic Cosmography (Graha–Nakṣatra–Māna)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Type: Cosmic-Region
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A schematic celestial diagram: Earth at center, then Sun’s disk, then Moon, then the ring of nakṣatras—each separated by labeled 100,000-yojana intervals.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural cosmogram, concentric circles with Earth, Sun, Moon, and nakṣatra ring, traditional decorative motifs for stars, deep blues and reds, temple-mural geometry","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting as a sacred cosmological mandala, concentric gilded rings for Sun and nakṣatras, jewel-like highlights, central Earth medallion, symmetrical layout","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style instructional chart, clean concentric circles, fine inscriptions implied, Sun and Moon rendered iconically, nakṣatra ring as star band, soft palette and precise lines","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature scientific-illustration feel, delicate concentric spheres, tiny star points, subtle shading, annotated spacing implied, refined borders"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: bhūmeḥ yojana-lakṣam tu → bhūmeryojanalakṣantu; raviḥ lakṣeṇa → raver lakṣeṇa; lakṣāt nakṣatram → lakṣānnākṣatram; indu-taḥ → indutaḥ; candraḥ ca → candraś ca
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Graha–nakṣatra descriptions and māna sections in cosmography
FAQs
It gives jyotiṣa-style cosmographic metrics (yojana-based measures) linking Earth → Sun → Moon → nakṣatra-circle, used for traditional models of celestial scale.
Beyond ritual and dharma, the Agni Purāṇa also preserves technical knowledge like astronomy/cosmography, presenting quantified descriptions of celestial bodies alongside other sciences.
By situating grahas and nakṣatras within a sacred cosmic order, it supports dhārmic time-reckoning (tithi, nakṣatra, muhūrta) used for vows, rites, and auspicious observances.