Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 18
Vedaśākhā-dikīrtana
Enumeration of the Vedic Branches) and Purāṇa-Vaṃśa (Lineages of Transmission
सर्वविद्यामयं पुण्यं सर्वज्ञानमयं वरम् सर्वात्म हरिरूपं हि पठतां शृण्वतां नृणां
sarvavidyāmayaṃ puṇyaṃ sarvajñānamayaṃ varam sarvātma harirūpaṃ hi paṭhatāṃ śṛṇvatāṃ nṛṇāṃ
Pour les hommes qui le récitent et l’écoutent, il est saint — composé de toutes les disciplines du savoir ; excellent — composé de toute sagesse ; en vérité, il est la forme de Hari, le Soi de tous les êtres.
Lord Agni (narrating the Agni Purana’s merit to Sage Vashistha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Samanya","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Positions the text as a multi-disciplinary compendium (sarva-vidyā-maya) and a devotional object (Hari-rūpa), motivating recitation/listening as both education and bhakti practice.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Sarva-vidyā-mayatva and Hari-rūpatva of the Āgneya Purāṇa","lookup_keywords":["sarvavidyāmaya","sarvajñānamaya","Hari-rūpa","pāṭha-śravaṇa phala","Purāṇa merit"],"quick_summary":"Reciting or hearing the Āgneya Purāṇa is praised as both holy and comprehensive—containing all disciplines and wisdom—because it is identified with Hari himself."}
Alamkara Type: Anuprāsa (repetitive cadence: sarva-…-maya)
Concept: Śravaṇa-pāṭha as sādhanā: the act of hearing/reciting is sanctifying because the teaching is non-different from the divine (Hari-rūpa) and comprehensive (sarva-vidyā/jñāna).
Application: Adopt a routine of reading/listening as a combined curriculum (knowledge) and worship (bhakti), especially for householders.
Khanda Section: Mahatmya / Phala-śruti (Glorification of the text and its merit)
Primary Rasa: Śānta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"People recite and listen to the Āgneya Purāṇa; the manuscript transforms into a radiant form of Hari, symbolizing ‘sarvātman’ and ‘sarva-vidyā-maya’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, devotees seated in a semicircle, reader holding palm-leaf manuscript, above it Hari’s luminous form emerging, lotus motifs, temple lamp glow, saturated reds and greens","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central gilded manuscript with Viṣṇu aura, devotees with folded hands, gold foil rays labeled ‘sarva-vidyā’, ornate arch and gemstones","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, calm instructional scene of pāṭha-śravaṇa, fine facial expressions, manuscript emitting soft halo that outlines Hari’s silhouette, balanced composition","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate indoor reading circle, detailed bookstand and calligraphy, subtle divine apparition rising from the text, delicate borders and floral margins"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सर्वविद्यामयं = सर्व-विद्या-मयम्; सर्वज्ञानमयं = सर्व-ज्ञान-मयम्; हरिरूपं = हरि-रूपम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 270.19-20 (specific phalas)
FAQs
It teaches the phala (result) doctrine: reciting or hearing the Purana is itself a complete sādhanā, described as embodying “all vidyās” and “all jñāna,” and thus functioning as a comprehensive religious practice.
By explicitly characterizing the text as “sarvavidyāmaya” and “sarvajñānamaya,” it frames the Agni Purana as a compendium that gathers many disciplines—ritual, dharma, polity, arts, and other śāstric themes—into a single authoritative source.
It asserts that pāṭha (recitation) and śravaṇa (hearing) generate puṇya and are equivalent to approaching Hari himself, since the text is said to be “Harirūpa” and aligned with the all-pervading Self (sarvātman).