Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 20
Varāhādy-avatāra-varṇana
Description of Varāha and Other Incarnations
मे गुर्वर्थमिति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः भ्रान्त इति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः अप्रार्थयद्धोमधेनुमिति ख, ग, चिहिनितपुस्तकद्वयपाठः सधेनुश्चाश्रमं ययौ इति ख, घ, ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकत्रयपाठः काश्यपाय महीं दत्वा महेन्द्रे पर्वते स्थितः कूर्मस्य च वराहस्य नृसिंहस्य च वामनं अवतारं च रामस्य श्रुत्वा याति दिवं नरः
me gurvarthamiti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ bhrānta iti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ aprārthayaddhomadhenumiti kha, ga, cihinitapustakadvayapāṭhaḥ sadhenuścāśramaṃ yayau iti kha, gha, ṅa, cihnitapustakatrayapāṭhaḥ kāśyapāya mahīṃ datvā mahendre parvate sthitaḥ kūrmasya ca varāhasya nṛsiṃhasya ca vāmanaṃ avatāraṃ ca rāmasya śrutvā yāti divaṃ naraḥ
“Demi keperluan guruku”—demikian bacaan satu naskah bertanda; “keliru”—demikian bacaan satu naskah bertanda; “ia memohon sapi kurban (homadhenu)”—demikian bacaan dua naskah bertanda; “dan bersama sapi itu ia pergi ke pertapaan”—demikian bacaan tiga naskah bertanda. Setelah menganugerahkan bumi kepada Kaśyapa dan menetap di Gunung Mahendra, siapa pun yang mendengar kisah avatāra—Kūrma, Varāha, Narasiṃha, Vāmana, dan Rāma—akan pergi ke surga.
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana frame: Agni instructing Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Establishes śravaṇa-phala (merit of hearing) for avatāra narratives; also preserves a mini critical-apparatus note about manuscript variants, useful for textual study and recitation choices.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Śravaṇa-phala of hearing Kūrma–Varāha–Nṛsiṃha–Vāmana–Rāma avatāras (with manuscript variants)","lookup_keywords":["śravaṇa-phala","avatāra","Kūrma","Varāha","Nṛsiṃha","Vāmana"],"quick_summary":"Hearing the listed avatāra accounts is said to lead to heaven; the verse also records variant readings about the guru-purpose/mistake and the sacrificial cow episode, indicating a living transmission."}
Alamkara Type: Anukrama (enumerative listing)
Weapon Type: Bow (Rāma)
Concept: Śravaṇa (devout listening) to avatāra-kathā purifies and yields higher worlds; narrative devotion is a valid soteriological practice.
Application: Adopt regular purāṇa-śravaṇa/paṭhana of avatāra cycles (especially in vrata/tīrtha contexts) as a disciplined devotional practice.
Khanda Section: Vishnu-Avataras / Punya-Phala (Merit of hearing sacred narratives)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Mountain
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee listens to a reciter narrating the five avatāras; above, the five forms of Viṣṇu appear in a celestial register. In the background, Mahendra mountain and the motif of gifting the earth to Kaśyapa are suggested.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, storyteller (paurāṇika) seated with palm-leaf manuscript, attentive listeners, upper band showing Kūrma, Varāha, Nṛsiṃha, Vāmana, Rāma in iconic poses, Mahendra mountain silhouette, warm mineral palette and bold outlines","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold halos: five avatāras in a row with ornate crowns, below a seated reciter and devotee, gold-leaf emphasis on divine forms, rich reds and greens, temple-like framing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, refined faces and soft gradients: classroom-like śravaṇa scene with manuscript variants hinted by multiple manuscripts on a stand, five avatāras as small vignettes above, clean composition","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly reading session with manuscripts, marginal notes implied, landscape with Mahendra hill, celestial cloud band containing the five avatāras, delicate detailing and balanced palette"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Verse contains extensive critical-apparatus prose; analyzed the continuous metrical portion: 'काश्यपाय ... नरः'. महेन्द्रे पर्वते = locative pair; no further sandhi requiring split.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Adhyaya 4: avatāra listings and phala-śruti framing; Agni Purana Adhyaya 5: transition into Rāma-avatāra narrative
FAQs
It teaches the śravaṇa-vidhi outcome: hearing the narratives of Viṣṇu’s avatāras is presented as a direct merit-producing practice, yielding svarga (heaven).
Alongside mythic-avatāra cataloging, it preserves a phala-śruti (merit statement) and even embeds manuscript-variant notices—showing the text’s breadth from theology and soteriology to transmission history.
The verse frames avatāra-śravaṇa as a karmically efficacious act: devotion expressed through attentive listening purifies and accrues merit culminating in heavenly attainment.