Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 9
Raṇadīkṣā (War-Consecration) — Agni Purāṇa Adhyāya 235
वासुदेवः सङ्कर्षणः प्रद्युम्नश्चानिरुद्धकः नारायणो ऽब्जजो विष्णुर् नारसिंहो वराहकः
vāsudevaḥ saṅkarṣaṇaḥ pradyumnaścāniruddhakaḥ nārāyaṇo 'bjajo viṣṇur nārasiṃho varāhakaḥ
Il est Vāsudeva ; Saṅkarṣaṇa ; Pradyumna ; et Aniruddha. Il est Nārāyaṇa ; le Né du Lotus (Brahmā) ; Viṣṇu ; Narasiṃha ; et Varāha.
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Stotra","secondary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","practical_application":"Recitation/meditation on Viṣṇu’s names and forms—vyūhas and avatāras—to cultivate devotion, protection, and theological clarity in worship sequences.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Viṣṇu-nāma list: Vyūhas and avatāras (Vāsudeva to Varāha)","lookup_keywords":["Vāsudeva","Saṅkarṣaṇa","Pradyumna","Aniruddha","Narasiṃha-Varāha"],"quick_summary":"A compact name-list linking Pāñcarātra vyūhas with major divine identities/avatāras; useful as a stotra segment for japa, pūjā, and doctrinal recollection."}
Alamkara Type: Anuprasa (name-chain alliteration)
Concept: One supreme reality is approached through multiple vyūha and avatāra manifestations; nāma functions as a direct handle for remembrance (smaraṇa) and devotion.
Application: Use the name-chain in daily japa or as a pūjā-aṅga; contemplate each form’s protective/ethical meaning (e.g., Narasiṃha for fearlessness, Varāha for rescue of the world).
Khanda Section: Vishnu-Sahasranama / Nama-stotra (Vaishnava Theological Section)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A theological tableau of Viṣṇu’s identities: the four Vyūhas arranged around Vāsudeva, with Narasiṃha and Varāha depicted as powerful avatāra forms; Brahmā lotus-born appears as a linked divine identity in the chain.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural mandala: Vāsudeva central, four vyūhas in cardinal positions with emblems, Narasiṃha and Varāha in dynamic side panels, Brahmā on lotus above, saturated reds/greens with bold outlines and sacred symmetry.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central Viṣṇu with gold halo, surrounding medallions for Saṅkarṣaṇa/Pradyumna/Aniruddha, Narasiṃha and Varāha with dramatic gold ornament, embossed jewelry and arch frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: clean iconographic chart-like painting—each form labeled, refined faces, soft gradients, emphasis on attributes (śaṅkha, cakra, gadā, padma) and avatāra heads.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: courtly devotional album page with multiple vignettes—Narasiṃha episode implied by fierce pose, Varāha lifting earth motif, central serene Viṣṇu; fine detailing and balanced negative space."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Madhyamavati","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रद्युम्नश्चानिरुद्धकः = प्रद्युम्नः + च + अनिरुद्धकः; नारायणोऽब्जजः = नारायणः + अब्जजः (अवग्रह); विष्णुर् नारसिंहः = विष्णुः + नारसिंहः (विसर्गसन्धि)
Related Themes: Agni Purana Viṣṇu-sahasranāma / nāma-stotra sections (context); Agni Purana avatāra narratives (elsewhere)
FAQs
It conveys nāma-vidyā—devotional recitation of Viṣṇu’s divine names, including the Chaturvyūha (Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha) and major avatāras, used for japa, stotra-pāṭha, and smaraṇa in Vaiṣṇava worship.
By cataloging theological categories—vyūha doctrine, avatāra theology, and identification of cosmic functions (e.g., 'lotus-born' Brahmā)—it functions like a compact index of Vaiṣṇava metaphysics within the Agni Purana’s broader multi-subject compendium.
Remembering and reciting these names is traditionally held to purify the mind, strengthen bhakti, and remove obstacles by aligning the practitioner with the Lord’s protective and sustaining aspects (especially Narasiṃha and Varāha).