Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 11
Chapter 230: शकुनानि (Śakunāni) — Omens
गोश्वोष्ट्रगर्दभश्वानः सारिका गृहगोधिका चटका भासकूर्माद्याः कथिता ग्रामवासिनः
gośvoṣṭragardabhaśvānaḥ sārikā gṛhagodhikā caṭakā bhāsakūrmādyāḥ kathitā grāmavāsinaḥ
गाय, घोड़ा, ऊंट, गधा, कुत्ता, मैना, छिपकली, गौरैया, भास (गिद्ध) और कछुआ आदि गाँव में रहने वाले (घरेलू) जीव कहे गए हैं।
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana narrator) addressing the sage Vasiṣṭha
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Samanya","secondary_vidya":"Jyotisha","practical_application":"Creating a quick-reference list of village-dwelling/domestic creatures for use in lexicography, omen-reading contexts, and practical classification of fauna by habitat.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Grāmavāsin (village-dwelling) creatures: domestic animals and common cohabitants","lookup_keywords":["grāmavāsin","go-aśva-uṣṭra","gṛha-godhikā","sārikā","cāṭaka-bhāsa-kūrma"],"quick_summary":"Enumerates common village-associated beings—domestic animals and familiar cohabitants like myna, house-lizard, sparrow, crow, tortoise—serving as a habitat-based classification list."}
Khanda Section: Nighaṇṭu / Nāma-mālā (Lexicography: lists of names and classifications)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Settlement
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A lively village scene showing the listed animals and birds: cows, horses, camels, donkeys, dogs; myna on a branch; house-lizard on a wall; sparrow and crow near grain; a tortoise near a water pot.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, panoramic grāma tableau with stylized animals in clear groups, myna and sparrow perched, crow near threshing floor, house-lizard on a house wall, tortoise by a small pond, warm earthy palette and decorative borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central village courtyard with domestic animals, gold accents on ornaments and harnesses, birds rendered decoratively, house-lizard and tortoise as charming details, rich architectural framing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean illustrative plate: each grāmavāsin creature arranged in a balanced composition like a field guide, fine outlines and gentle shading, minimal background for clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed rural vignette: herdsman with cows and horses, a camel tethered, donkey and dog nearby, birds around grain baskets, lizard on plaster wall, tortoise near water, intricate naturalistic detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भासकूर्माद्याः = भास + कूर्म + आद्याः (आदि-शब्देन सह); gośvoṣṭragardabhaśvānaḥ treated as a dvandva list-compound.
Related Themes: Agni Purana nāma-mālā/nighaṇṭu style lists (general); Agni Purana 230 (classification lists)
FAQs
It imparts nighaṇṭu/lexicographic knowledge: a technical classification and standardized Sanskrit naming of grāmya (village/domiciled) animals and birds.
By cataloging practical terminology (animal and bird names) and grouping them by habitat (village-dwelling), the text functions as a reference manual—one of the Agni Purana’s hallmark encyclopedic features beyond purely mythic narration.
Its primary intent is descriptive rather than prescriptive; the indirect significance is that correct naming and classification support accurate recitation, teaching, and application of dharma/ritual and traditional sciences that rely on precise Sanskrit terminology.