Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 48
Chapter 12 — श्रीहरिवंशवर्णनं (Śrī-Harivaṃśa-varṇana) | The Description of the Sacred Harivaṃśa
श्रुत्वा तु नारदात् कृष्णः प्रद्युम्नबलभद्रवान् गरुडस्थोथ जित्वाग्नीन् ज्वरं माहेश्वरन्तथा
śrutvā tu nāradāt kṛṣṇaḥ pradyumnabalabhadravān garuḍasthotha jitvāgnīn jvaraṃ māheśvarantathā
Setelah mendengar dari Nārada, Kṛṣṇa bersama Pradyumna dan Balabhadra menaiki Garuḍa; lalu setelah menaklukkan api-api, ia pun menundukkan demam Māheśvara yang berasal dari Mahādeva.
Lord Agni (narrating to Vasiṣṭha, in the standard Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Mythic template for overcoming hostile elements (agni) and fever-demon (jvara) through divine intervention; also informs later ritual imagination around Jvara as a personified affliction.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Kṛṣṇa on Garuḍa subdues fire and Māheśvara Jvara","lookup_keywords":["Nārada","Garuḍa","Māheśvara Jvara","overcoming fire","Pradyumna Balabhadra"],"quick_summary":"On Nārada’s report, Kṛṣṇa mounts Garuḍa with Pradyumna and Balabhadra, passes through fiery defenses, and subdues the Śiva-born fever (Māheśvara Jvara)."}
Dosha: Tridosha
Alamkara Type: Adbhuta-varṇana (marvel) with Vīra undertone
Weapon Type: Divine mount (Garuḍa) and implied divine power; no specific weapon named
Concept: Śaraṇāgati and divine aid: hearing (śravaṇa) of distress leads to protective action; mastery over bhūta-tattvas (fire) symbolizes mastery over afflictions.
Application: Frames crisis-response: accurate intelligence (Nārada) → decisive mobilization → neutralize immediate hazards → address root affliction.
Khanda Section: Avataras & Hari-Hara Encounters (Puranic Narrative / Itihasa-Samvada)
Primary Rasa: Adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: Vīra
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Kṛṣṇa rides Garuḍa through a ring of flames; beside/behind him are Pradyumna and Balabhadra; below stands a fierce personified fever (Jvara) being subdued.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Kṛṣṇa on Garuḍa with wide wings, encircled by stylized flames, Pradyumna and Balabhadra as attendant heroes, Jvara as dark fiery figure below, bold contours and saturated colors","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, iconic Garuḍārohaṇa Kṛṣṇa with gold leaf halo and ornaments, flames rendered as decorative aureole, Jvara as subdued fierce figure, rich reds and greens, temple-like grandeur","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, elegant composition with clear narrative: Garuḍa in flight, layered flame barrier, Kṛṣṇa calm and commanding, Jvara personification with heat motifs, fine detailing","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, aerial scene with nuanced flames and smoke, Garuḍa realistically feathered, Kṛṣṇa and companions in courtly attire, Jvara as dramatic figure on ground, detailed landscape and architecture"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"triumphant","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गरुडस्थोथ → गरुडस्थः + अथ; जित्वाग्नीन् → जित्वा + अग्नीन्; माहेश्वरन्तथा → माहेश्वरम् + तथा
Related Themes: Agni Purana 12.47 (battle alarm); Agni Purana 12.49 (Hari–Śaṅkara conflict)
FAQs
It conveys a Puranic healing motif: the subjugation/pacification of the personified Jvara (fever) through divine authority—framing illness as both a cosmic force and a condition that can be overcome.
It integrates theology, mythology, and the sacred etiology of disease (Jvara) within the same text that elsewhere teaches ritual, polity, medicine, and arts—showing how the Agni Purana links narrative events to religious and practical concerns like suffering and recovery.
The verse highlights that surrender to divine order and dharma overcomes destructive forces (fire and fever), implying protection and purification through alignment with the supreme (here, Kṛṣṇa’s victory over Māheśvara Jvara).