Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 12
Chapter 367 — नित्यनैमीत्तिकप्राकृतप्रलयाः
The Nitya, Naimittika, and Prākṛta Dissolutions
सप्तर्षिस्थानमाक्रम्य स्थिते ऽम्भसि शतं मरुत् मुखनिश्वासतो विष्णोर्नाशं नयति तान्घनान्
saptarṣisthānamākramya sthite 'mbhasi śataṃ marut mukhaniśvāsato viṣṇornāśaṃ nayati tānghanān
જ્યારે જળ સપ્તર્ષિ-મંડળના પ્રદેશને આવરીને સ્થિર થાય છે, ત્યારે વિષ્ણુના મુખનિશ્વાસથી ઉત્પન્ન સો મરુત તે મેઘોને વિનાશ તરફ દોરી જાય છે.
Lord Agni (narrating within the Agni Purana’s discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Maps pralaya dynamics onto astral geography (Saptarṣi region) and divine agency (Maruts from Viṣṇu’s breath), useful for Purāṇic cosmography teaching and ritual imagination of cosmic order.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Saptarṣi-mandala waters and Maruts destroying pralaya-clouds","lookup_keywords":["saptarṣi-sthāna","marut","viṣṇu-niśvāsa","ghana-nāśa","pralaya-jala"],"quick_summary":"When pralaya-waters reach the Saptarṣi region, Maruts born of Viṣṇu’s exhalation disperse and destroy the clouds. The verse links meteorology, astral zones, and divine breath as regulating forces."}
Alamkara Type: Rūpaka
Concept: Prāṇa/niśvāsa as cosmic causality: divine breath externalizes as regulating winds (Maruts) that dissolve formations (clouds).
Application: Meditative analogy: as breath governs inner states, divine breath governs cosmic states—supporting prāṇāyāma contemplation and theism-inflected cosmology.
Khanda Section: Cosmology & Astral Geography (Lokas, Nakshatras, Maruts, Saptarshi-mandala)
Primary Rasa: Adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: Vīra
Type: Mountain
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Cosmic waters rise into the starry Saptarṣi region; from Viṣṇu’s exhalation emerge a hundred Maruts as luminous wind-beings who tear apart and dissipate the dense clouds.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: Viṣṇu in calm profile exhaling stylized white wind-streams that become Maruts; above, the Saptarṣi constellation rendered as golden star cluster; clouds shredded into spirals over dark cosmic waters","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central Viṣṇu with subtle gold embossing on breath-streams; Maruts as small dynamic figures with gold accents; constellation as jeweled motif; ornate border emphasizing celestial geography","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: diagrammatic cosmography—Saptarṣi-mandala labeled, waters rising; Maruts shown as wind-arrows emanating from Viṣṇu’s mouth; fine lines and soft colors for clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: night-sky with precise stars, rising waters like a silver sea; Viṣṇu seated/hovering exhaling; Maruts as swift airborne figures dispersing clouds with swirling motion"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Megh Malhar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सप्तर्षिस्थानमाक्रम्य → सप्तर्षिस्थानम् + आक्रम्य; स्थिते ऽम्भसि → स्थिते + अम्भसि; विष्णोर्नाशं → विष्णोः + नाशम्; तान्घनान् → तान् + घनान्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 367.11 (clouds and rains); Agni Purana 367.13 (Hari absorbing vāyu)
FAQs
It conveys Puranic meteorology/astral geography: cloud-formation and dispersal are linked to the Saptarshi region and the action of the Maruts (storm-winds), mythically sourced from Viṣṇu’s breath.
Beyond ritual topics, the Agni Purana catalogs cosmology and observable natural processes (winds, clouds, waters) using a theological model—showing its scope as a compendium of astronomy-like mapping and weather lore.
It frames natural regulation as divine governance: winds and rains operate under Viṣṇu’s cosmic agency, encouraging a devotional view that order in nature reflects dharma and the sustaining power of the divine.