Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 3
Chapter 276 — राजवंशवर्णनम्
Description of Royal Lineages
गाण्डीराच्चैव गान्धारः पञ्च जानपदास्ततः गान्धाराः केरलाश्चोलाः पाण्ड्याः कोला महाबलाः
gāṇḍīrāccaiva gāndhāraḥ pañca jānapadāstataḥ gāndhārāḥ keralāścolāḥ pāṇḍyāḥ kolā mahābalāḥ
ગાંડીર પ્રદેશમાંથી જ ગાંધાર દેશ થયો; ત્યારબાદ પાંચ જનપદો ગણાવ્યા છે—ગાંધાર, કેરળ, ચોળ, પાંડ્ય અને મહાબલી કોલ.
Lord Agni (narrating to sage Vasiṣṭha, in the standard Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Reference for janapada-identification and traditional ethnogeography; supports historical-geographic mapping of regions/peoples in Bharata-varṣa and their perceived political strength.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Janapada List: Gāndhāra, Kerala, Cola, Pāṇḍya, Kola (Mahābalāḥ)","lookup_keywords":["Gāndhāra","Kerala","Cola","Pāṇḍya","janapada"],"quick_summary":"Enumerates five powerful territorial peoples/kingdoms; serves as a puranic gazetteer entry for Bharata-varṣa janapadas."}
Concept: Bhūgola-jñāna (knowledge of the inhabited world) as a component of puranic encyclopedism—knowing lands and peoples as part of dharmic polity and pilgrimage awareness.
Application: Helps a listener locate narratives, tirthas, and political entities; aids traditional commentators in correlating names with regions.
Khanda Section: Bhugola & Bharata-varsha—Janapada-nirdesha (Geography and lists of kingdoms/peoples)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A stylized map of Bharata-varṣa with five highlighted regions labeled Gāndhāra, Kerala, Cola, Pāṇḍya, Kola; figures representing each janapada as mighty rulers.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Bharata-varsha as a lotus-map, southern coast emphasized for Kerala/Cola/Pāṇḍya, northwestern corner for Gāndhāra, bold labels in Devanagari-style panels, iconic kings with crowns.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, five crowned rulers in a row with gold halos and name plaques, each holding a royal emblem, ornate arch and gold work, deep saturated colors.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic cartographic panel with delicate outlines of India-like form, callout boxes for each janapada, gentle shading, scholarly presentation.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, imperial atelier map scene: cartographer and courtiers around a painted map, fine calligraphy naming the five regions, intricate borders and textiles."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Raga Desh","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गाण्डीरात् + च + एव → गाण्डीराच्चैव (t + c → cc); जानपदाः + ततः → जानपदास्ततः (visarga-less sandhi); केरलाः + चोलाः → केरलाश्चोलाः (visarga before c → ś).
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Bhugola & Bharata-varsha—janapada-nirdesha passages listing rivers, mountains, and peoples
FAQs
This verse imparts geographical-historical knowledge (janapada-nirdesha): a structured listing of regions/peoples (Gāndhāra, Kerala, Cola, Pāṇḍya, Kola) used in Purāṇic mapping of Bharata-varṣa.
By preserving a compact gazetteer of janapadas, it functions like a reference index of polity and regional identity—one of the Agni Purāṇa’s hallmark encyclopedic features alongside ritual, law, medicine, and statecraft.
Its significance is indirect: knowing sacred geography and the traditional divisions of peoples supports Purāṇic worldview, pilgrimage-context (tīrtha/bhūmi awareness), and the cultivation of smṛti (remembered sacred history), which is treated as merit-bearing in Purāṇic tradition.