Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 18
Śrīrāmāvatāravarṇanam (Description of Śrī Rāma’s Incarnation) — Ayodhyā Abhiṣeka, Vanavāsa, Daśaratha’s Death, Bharata’s Regency
ददर्श केकयीं रुष्टाम् उवाच कथमीदृशी रोगार्ता किं भयोद्विग्ना किमिच्छसि करोमि तत्
dadarśa kekayīṃ ruṣṭām uvāca kathamīdṛśī rogārtā kiṃ bhayodvignā kimicchasi karomi tat
ಅವನು ಕೋಪಗೊಂಡ ಕೈಕೇಯಿಯನ್ನು ನೋಡಿ ಹೇಳಿದನು: “ನೀನು ಹೀಗೆ ಏಕೆ? ರೋಗಪೀಡಿತಳಾ, ಅಥವಾ ಯಾವುದೋ ಭಯದಿಂದ ಉದ್ವಿಗ್ನಳಾ? ನಿನಗೆ ಏನು ಬೇಕು? ಅದನ್ನು ನಾನು ಮಾಡುತ್ತೇನೆ।”
King Daśaratha (addressing Queen Kaikeyī)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","practical_application":"Shows diagnostic questioning: distinguishing illness (roga) from fear/anxiety (bhaya-udvega) before offering help—useful as a model for compassionate inquiry.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Compassionate inquiry: illness vs fear as causes of distress","lookup_keywords":["roga-arta","bhaya-udvigna","Kaikeyi","Dasharatha","diagnostic-questioning"],"quick_summary":"Dasharatha responds to Kaikeyi’s anger by asking whether she is ill or fearful and offers to fulfill her desire—an example of preliminary assessment before intervention."}
Alamkara Type: Prashna (rhetorical questioning)
Concept: Dayā (compassion) must be paired with viveka (discernment) before granting boons or promises.
Application: In leadership and family life, inquire into root causes (health, fear, grievance) before committing to irreversible actions.
Khanda Section: Itihasa-katha (Ramayana narrative within Agni Purana)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Dasharatha stands before an angry Kaikeyi, hands in a placating gesture, asking if she is ill or afraid, offering to grant her wish.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Dasharatha with compassionate eyes and open palm gesture, Kaikeyi seated with turned face and anger, lamp-lit chamber, bold contours, muted reds/greens, expressive eyebrows and hand mudras.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Dasharatha with gold halo and ornate crown, Kaikeyi adorned yet stern, gold-leaf on jewelry and throne, inscription-like band suggesting the questions 'roga?' 'bhaya?'.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, emphasis on facial expression and dialogue posture, clean background, delicate shading, didactic feel of a counseling scene.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate interior with cushions and screens, Dasharatha leaning forward in concern, Kaikeyi rigid with anger, fine detailing of textiles and jewelry, naturalistic expressions."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Raga Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कथमीदृशी = कथम् + ईदृशी; भयोद्विग्ना = भय-उद्विग्ना; किमिच्छसि = किम् + इच्छसि.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 6.17 (anger-chamber setup); Agni Purana 6.19 (oath to fulfill desire)
FAQs
No specific ritual or technical vidyā is taught here; the verse conveys a royal-ethical stance of responsiveness and duty—Daśaratha offers to remedy illness, remove fear, and fulfill a requested wish.
It exemplifies how the Agni Purana embeds Itihāsa (Ramayana) material alongside technical chapters, using narrative to transmit models of kingship, household governance, and moral psychology—one strand of its encyclopedic scope.
The karmic takeaway is the dharmic ideal of compassionate responsibility: a ruler’s readiness to alleviate suffering and fear and to honor commitments, which is portrayed as righteous conduct shaping merit and destiny.