Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 1
Vedaśākhā-dikīrtana
Enumeration of the Vedic Branches) and Purāṇa-Vaṃśa (Lineages of Transmission
इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे विष्णुपञ्जरं नामोनसप्रत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः अथ सप्तत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः वेदशाखदिकीर्तनं पुष्कर उवाच सर्वानुग्राहका मन्त्राश् चतुर्वर्गप्रसाधकाः ऋगथर्व तथा साम यजुः संख्या तु लक्षकं
ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe viṣṇupañjaraṃ nāmonasapratyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ atha saptatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ vedaśākhadikīrtanaṃ puṣkara uvāca sarvānugrāhakā mantrāś caturvargaprasādhakāḥ ṛgatharva tathā sāma yajuḥ saṃkhyā tu lakṣakaṃ
આ રીતે અગ્નિ મહાપુરાણમાં “વિષ્ણુ-પંજર” નામનો ૨૬૯મો અધ્યાય પૂર્ણ થયો. હવે ૨૭૦મો અધ્યાય—“વેદશાખાઓનું કીર્તન” આરંભે છે. પુષ્કર બોલ્યા—મંત્રો સર્વને અનુગ્રહ કરનારા અને ધર્મ, અર્થ, કામ, મોક્ષ—ચાર પુરુષાર્થ સિદ્ધ કરનારા છે; ઋગ્, અથર્વ, સામ અને યજુઃ વેદોના મંત્રોની સંખ્યા એક લાખ છે.
Puṣkara
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vyakarana","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Veda-paricaya (orientation to Śruti corpus) for study planning, recitation curricula, and framing mantra-japa as puruṣārtha-sādhana.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Veda-mantra-saṅkhyā and Puruṣārtha-phala of Mantra","lookup_keywords":["mantra-phala","caturvarga","veda-saṅkhyā","ṛg-atharva-sāma-yajus","śākhā-kīrtana"],"quick_summary":"Mantras are presented as universally beneficent and capable of accomplishing dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa; the four Vedas are introduced with a large, rounded mantra-count for encyclopedic orientation."}
Concept: Mantra as upāya that supports all four puruṣārthas; Śruti as a comprehensive means for worldly and transcendent aims.
Application: Use mantra-recitation with right intention (dharma/artha/kāma regulated; mokṣa-oriented japa) and align study with Vedic corpus awareness.
Khanda Section: Veda-śākhā-dikīrtana (Vedic Recensions and Mantra-Enumeration)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sage (Puṣkara) seated in an āśrama or tīrtha setting, teaching disciples; palm-leaf manuscripts and four Veda symbols arranged, indicating mantra-count and puruṣārtha fruits.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, Puṣkara ṛṣi teaching in a forest-āśrama near a sacred lake, disciples in white, stylized lotus lake, four Veda emblems (ṛk, yajus, sāman, atharvan) as icon-like panels, earthy reds and greens, flat ornamental composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Puṣkara seated on a decorated pedestal, haloed, holding palm-leaf manuscript; four Veda icons around him; gold leaf highlights on manuscripts and ornaments; temple-like arch framing; rich maroons and greens.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional tableau: teacher pointing to a manuscript page listing Ṛg/Atharva/Sāma/Yajus and puruṣārthas; delicate lines, muted palette, minimal gold, clear labels and orderly layout.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, scholarly assembly by a lakeside (Puṣkara), detailed textiles and manuscripts, attendants holding scrolls, marginal notes showing mantra counts, naturalistic landscape with fine brushwork."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ity āgneye → iti āgneye; 'dviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ' → dviśatatamaḥ adhyāyaḥ; 'mantrāś' → mantrāḥ; 'ṛgatharva' treated as coordination: ṛk + atharva.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Viṣṇu-pañjara (preceding chapter colophon); Agni Purana: Veda-śākhā-kīrtana section (270)
FAQs
It introduces Veda-śākhā-dikīrtana—an enumerative, catalog-like vidyā that classifies Vedic corpora (Ṛg, Atharva, Sāma, Yajus) and frames mantras as universally beneficent and puruṣārtha-accomplishing.
By shifting from a protective hymn chapter (Viṣṇu-pañjara) to a systematic listing of Vedic branches and mantra totals, it exemplifies the Agni Purāṇa’s compendium style—moving across genres (stotra → śākhā-cataloguing) and preserving structured, reference-friendly knowledge.
The verse asserts that mantras support all beings and can lead to the four aims of life, implying that disciplined engagement with Vedic mantra (study/recitation/ritual use) is both spiritually elevating and merit-producing, ultimately orienting practice toward mokṣa alongside worldly well-being.