Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 66
Abhiṣeka-mantrāḥ
Consecration Mantras
गङ्गाद्वारकुशावर्तौ विन्ध्यको नीलपर्वतः वराहपर्वतश् चैव तीर्थङ्कणखलं तथा
gaṅgādvārakuśāvartau vindhyako nīlaparvataḥ varāhaparvataś caiva tīrthaṅkaṇakhalaṃ tathā
Gangādvāra et Kuśāvarta ; le mont Vindhya, le mont Nīla et le mont Varāha ; ainsi que le gué sacré de Kaṇakhala—tels sont proclamés lieux saints de pèlerinage.
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Tirtha-yatra planning and nadi-parvata-smarana for punya (merit) accumulation; mapping sacred sites for pilgrimage itineraries.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Tirtha-nama-sangraha (Gangadvara–Kanakhala and sacred mountains)","lookup_keywords":["Gangadvara","Kushavarta","Vindhya","Nilaparvata","Kanakhala"],"quick_summary":"This verse enumerates major tīrthas and sacred mountains; remembering or visiting them is taught as a dharmic means to accrue merit and purify oneself."}
Concept: Tīrtha-smaraṇa and tīrtha-sevā as means of pāpa-kṣaya and puṇya-sañcaya.
Application: Undertake snāna, dāna, japa, and śrāddha at these sites; or recite their names with sankalpa when travel is not possible.
Khanda Section: Tirtha-Mahatmya (Sacred Geography and Pilgrimage Merit)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A map-like sacred panorama: Gaṅgā emerging at Gangādvāra with pilgrims bathing; nearby Kaṇakhala ghats; distant Vindhya and other named mountains marked as holy peaks.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, flat vibrant colors, sacred landscape of Gangadvara with Gaṅgā flowing, pilgrims at ghats, stylized Vindhya and Nilaparvata peaks, temple flags, traditional ornamented figures, serene devotional ambience","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf highlights on river ghats and temple arches at Gangadvara/Kanakhala, stylized mountains labeled Vindhya and Varaha, richly dressed pilgrims offering arghya, luminous sacred river","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, delicate linework, instructional sacred-geography tableau with labeled tīrthas (Gangadvara, Kushavarta, Kanakhala) and mountains in the background, calm palette, emphasis on clarity and annotation","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed riverfront scene at Gangadvara with bathers and ascetics, distant Vindhya range, fine architectural ghats, naturalistic water and rocks, calligraphic labels for tīrtha names"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गङ्गाद्वारकुशावर्तौ = गङ्गाद्वार + कुशावर्तौ; वराहपर्वतश् चैव = वराहपर्वतः + च + एव; तीर्थङ्कणखलं = तीर्थ + कणखलम् (अनुस्वार-परिवर्तन).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 219 (Tirtha-mahatmya section; adjacent tirtha lists)
FAQs
This verse transmits Tīrtha-vidyā: the identification and authoritative naming of specific pilgrimage locations (tīrthas and sacred mountains) recognized as purifying and merit-bestowing.
By cataloguing geographically diverse tīrthas (river-fords, towns, and mountains), it functions like a sacred gazetteer—preserving place-names, regional sanctity, and pilgrimage networks as part of the Purana’s broad compendium of religious culture.
Remembering and visiting such tīrthas is traditionally held to remove impurities (pāpa-kṣaya) and generate religious merit (puṇya), supporting purification, vows, and liberation-oriented practice.