Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 4
Svāyambhuva-vaṁśa-varṇanam
Description of the Lineage of Svāyambhuva Manu
तस्मै प्रीतो हरिः प्रादान्मुन्यग्रे स्थानकं स्थिरम् श्लोकं पपाठ ह्य् उशना वृद्धिं दृष्ट्वा स तस्य च
tasmai prīto hariḥ prādānmunyagre sthānakaṃ sthiram ślokaṃ papāṭha hy uśanā vṛddhiṃ dṛṣṭvā sa tasya ca
Karena berkenan kepadanya, Hari (Viṣṇu) menganugerahkan di hadapan para resi sebuah kedudukan yang teguh dan kekal. Uśanā (Śukrācārya), melihat kemajuannya, melantunkan pula sebuah śloka mengenai hal itu.
Agni (narrator) to Vasiṣṭha (typical Agni Purana frame; verse reports actions of Hari and Uśanā rather than direct speech)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Stotra","secondary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","practical_application":"Used in bhakti teaching: illustrates divine grace responding to tapas and devotion; supports stotra-recitation and faith in Viṣṇu’s anugraha.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Hari Grants Dhruva a Fixed Station; Uśanā’s Praise Verse","lookup_keywords":["Hari","Dhruva pada","sthanaka sthiram","Usana Sukracharya","phala of tapas"],"quick_summary":"Viṣṇu, pleased, grants Dhruva an enduring cosmic position; a learned seer (Uśanā/Śukra) responds with laudatory verse, reinforcing the doctrine of grace."}
Alamkara Type: Stuti (prasasti) with possible Anuprasa (contextual)
Concept: Īśvara-prasāda: divine favor crowns disciplined effort; permanence (sthairya) as a spiritual fruit.
Application: Combine effort (tapas, niyama) with surrender (bhakti); cultivate steadiness in vows and practice, trusting fruition in due time.
Khanda Section: Itihasa–Purana Narratives (Vishnu-bhakti and Phala-shruti context)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Celestial realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Viṣṇu appears before sages and grants Dhruva an unshakable station; Uśanā/Śukra, impressed, recites a praising verse.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Viṣṇu with conch-disc-mace-lotus, varada gesture toward child Dhruva in añjali, semicircle of sages as witnesses, Uśanā as elderly brāhmaṇa reciting from memory, luminous celestial backdrop","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central Viṣṇu with heavy gold ornamentation and prabhāmaṇḍala, Dhruva kneeling, sages seated in rows, Uśanā holding palm-leaf, gold leaf emphasizing the ‘fixed station’ as a star emblem above","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, balanced composition with Viṣṇu bestowing boon, Dhruva and sages labeled, subtle star icon indicating Dhruva-pada, refined facial expressions and soft colors","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, celestial audience scene with Viṣṇu on jeweled seat, Dhruva as young devotee, scholars/sages in detailed garments, Uśanā reciting, intricate architectural canopy and patterned carpets"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रादान्मुन्यग्रे→प्रादात् + मुनि-अग्रे; ह्य्→हि; दृष्ट्वा स→दृष्ट्वा + सः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 18 (Dhruva’s attainment; Dhruva-loka context)
FAQs
No specific ritual-vidhi is taught here; the verse conveys a narrative principle that divine satisfaction (Hari being ‘prīta’) results in the bestowal of a stable status/position (sthānakaṃ sthiram).
Alongside technical sections elsewhere (ritual, polity, medicine, poetics), the Agni Purana also preserves exemplary narratives illustrating causality in dharma and bhakti—here, divine favor leading to worldly stability and recognized standing.
The takeaway is that sincere conduct that pleases Viṣṇu culminates in lasting upliftment (sthira-sthāna) and visible prosperity (vṛddhi), reinforcing the Purāṇic ethic of bhakti-linked merit.