Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 22
Chapter 7 — रामायणवर्णनं (Description of the Rāmāyaṇa): Śūrpaṇakhā, Khara’s Defeat, and Sītā-haraṇa Prelude
दृष्ट्वा जटायुस्तं प्राह रावणो हृतवांश् च तां मृतो ऽथ संस्कृतस्तेन कबन्धञ्चावधीत्ततः शापमुक्तो ऽब्रवीद्रामं स त्वं सुग्रीवमाव्रज
dṛṣṭvā jaṭāyustaṃ prāha rāvaṇo hṛtavāṃś ca tāṃ mṛto 'tha saṃskṛtastena kabandhañcāvadhīttataḥ śāpamukto 'bravīdrāmaṃ sa tvaṃ sugrīvamāvraja
Melihatnya, Jatayu berkata bahwa Ravana telah menculiknya; kemudian setelah Jatayu wafat, Rama melaksanakan kremasi sesuai dharma. Sesudah itu Rama membunuh Kabandha; Kabandha yang bebas dari kutuk berkata kepada Rama: “Pergilah kepada Sugriva.”
Agni (narrating the Rāma-kathā to Vasiṣṭha in summary form)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Models dharmic rites for the fallen (antyeṣṭi for Jaṭāyu) and the narrative logic of curse-release leading to actionable guidance (seeking Sugriva).","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Jaṭāyu’s Report, Antyeṣṭi, and Kabandha’s Counsel","lookup_keywords":["Jatayu","antyeshti","Kabandha","shapa-moksha","Sugriva"],"quick_summary":"Jaṭāyu identifies Ravana as Sita’s abductor; Rama performs funerary rites, then slays Kabandha whose curse-release yields strategic counsel to approach Sugriva."}
Alamkara Type: Itihāsa-narrative with saṅkṣepa; śoka and adbhuta via śāpa-mokṣa
Weapon Type: General (slaying of Kabandha implies armed combat)
Concept: Gratitude and righteousness: honoring a helper (Jaṭāyu) with proper rites; suffering beings may be liberated through right action (Kabandha’s śāpa-mokṣa).
Application: Repay assistance with duty and respect; after conflict, seek counsel and alliances rather than acting alone.
Khanda Section: Rāmāyaṇa-kathā (Itihāsa-saṅgraha / Avatāra-kathā)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Jaṭāyu, wounded, indicates Ravana’s abduction; Rama performs cremation rites; later Rama confronts Kabandha, and the released being points the way to Sugriva.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, three-panel narrative: Jaṭāyu speaking to Rama, cremation fire with ritual gestures, fierce Kabandha encounter, then radiant curse-freed figure pointing direction; bold colors, stylized flames","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style triptych: central Rama with gold halo performing rites for Jaṭāyu, side vignette of Kabandha’s defeat and luminous liberation; heavy gold work, iconic poses","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, sequential storytelling with clear labels: Jaṭāyu’s disclosure, antyeṣṭi ritual implements, Kabandha battle, liberated Kabandha instructing; fine detailing and calm composition","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, realistic cremation scene with attendants, then dynamic forest combat with Kabandha, concluding with a serene liberated figure gesturing toward the south; intricate landscape"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: jaṭāyus taṃ → jaṭāyuḥ + tam; mṛto 'tha → mṛtaḥ + atha; saṃskṛtastena → saṃskṛtaḥ + tena; kabandhañcāvadhīttataḥ → kabandham + ca + avadhīt + tataḥ; śāpamukto 'bravīdrāmaṃ → śāpa-muktaḥ + abravīt + rāmam; sugrīvamāvraja → sugrīvam + āvraja.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 7.21 (preceding grief/search); Agni Purana 8.1 (approach to Sugriva)
FAQs
It conveys saṃskāra-vidhi in brief—performing proper antyeṣṭi (funeral rites/cremation) for the dead (Jaṭāyu), presented as a dharmic duty that Rāma fulfills.
By embedding Itihāsa (Rāmāyaṇa episodes) inside a Purāṇic framework, it compresses narrative history, dharma (duty to the dead), and karmic motifs (curse-release) into a compact reference-style summary—typical of the Agni Purāṇa’s multi-topic encyclopedic method.
Kabandha’s śāpa-mukti after being slain illustrates the doctrine that suffering can end through destined encounters and righteous action; the counsel to approach Sugrīva signals divinely aligned cooperation as part of dharma-driven restoration (Sītā’s recovery).