Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 11
Chapter 17 — सृष्टिविषयकवर्णनम्
An Account Concerning Creation
अप्सु पारिप्लवां पृथिवीं दिशश् च दशधा दधे तत्र कालं मनो वाचं कामं क्रोधमथो रतिम्
apsu pāriplavāṃ pṛthivīṃ diśaś ca daśadhā dadhe tatra kālaṃ mano vācaṃ kāmaṃ krodhamatho ratim
ಜಲಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಅವನು ತೇಲುವ ಭೂಮಿಯನ್ನು ಸ್ಥಾಪಿಸಿ, ದಿಕ್ಕುಗಳನ್ನು ಹತ್ತು ವಿಧವಾಗಿ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆ ಮಾಡಿದನು. ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಅವನು ಕಾಲ, ಮನಸ್ಸು, ವಾಣಿ, ಕಾಮ, ಕ್ರೋಧ ಹಾಗೂ ರತಿಯನ್ನು ಕ್ರಮವಾಗಿ ನಿಯೋಜಿಸಿದನು।
Lord Agni (narrating Purāṇic cosmology to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Maps early world-ordering: earth floating on waters, ten directions, and the installation of inner faculties and affects—useful for teaching cosmology alongside psychology/ethics.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Establishment of Earth, Ten Directions, and Inner Principles (Kāla, Manas, Vāk, Kāma, Krodha, Rati)","lookup_keywords":["earth on waters","daśa diśaḥ","kāla","manas","vāk","kāma-krodha-rati"],"quick_summary":"The Lord sets the earth afloat upon waters, arranges the ten directions, and establishes time and key inner functions—mind, speech, desire, anger, and sexual delight—linking cosmic order with human experience."}
Dosha: Tridosha
Alamkara Type: Saṅkhyā (enumeration/listing)
Concept: Cosmic order includes both outer structure (earth, directions, time) and inner regulators (mind, speech, desire, anger, pleasure); mastery of the inner mirrors stability of the outer.
Application: Cultivate vāṅ-niyama (speech discipline), mano-nigraha (mind restraint), and moderation of kāma/krodha to live in harmony with ṛta-like order.
Khanda Section: Cosmology and Creation (Sarga / Bhuta-Srishti)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A floating earth-disc upon cosmic waters, surrounded by a mandala of ten directions; within the scene, symbolic personifications of Time, Mind, Speech, Desire, Anger, and Rati arranged as deities or glyphs.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, earth floating on stylized waves, ten-direction mandala with guardian motifs, personified Kāla/Manas/Vāk/Kāma/Krodha/Rati in traditional attire, bold outlines and saturated colors.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central floating earth with gold-embossed directional mandala, small deity-figures for Kāla and the inner principles, rich ornamentation and gold work.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, instructional cosmology diagram: earth-on-waters, compass-like ten directions labeled, small icon-symbols for mind/speech/desire/anger/pleasure, clean and readable composition.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed ocean and floating landmass, compass-rose of ten directions, allegorical figures in courtly style representing Kāla, Manas, Vāk, Kāma, Krodha, Rati, fine brushwork."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shuddha Sarang","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दिशश् च = दिशः + च (visarga before c); क्रोधमथो = क्रोधम् + अथो; अथो = अथ + उ (स्वर-सन्धि).
Related Themes: Agni Purana cosmology passages on directions (diśā-vibhāga); Agni Purana discussions of mind/speech and dharma-ethics in later instructional chapters
FAQs
It conveys cosmological tattva-vinyāsa: how the earth (pṛthivī), the ten directions (daśa-diśaḥ), and inner principles like time, mind, and speech are positioned within the cosmic order—used as a conceptual basis for later ritual and metaphysical frameworks.
By cataloging both macrocosmic structures (waters, earth, directions) and microcosmic faculties (mind, speech, desire, anger, rati), it bridges cosmology, psychology, and philosophical taxonomy—typical of the Agni Purana’s wide-ranging, encyclopedic scope.
It frames passions and faculties (kāma, krodha, rati, manas, vāk) as created and ordered elements, encouraging disciplined awareness: spiritual progress comes from aligning these inner forces with cosmic order (dharma) rather than being driven by them.