Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 39
Śrīrāmāvatāravarṇanam (Description of Śrī Rāma’s Incarnation) — Ayodhyā Abhiṣeka, Vanavāsa, Daśaratha’s Death, Bharata’s Regency
शशाप विलपन्मात्रा शोकं कृत्वा रुदन्मुहुः पुत्रं विना मरिष्यावस् त्वं च शोकान्मरिष्यसि
śaśāpa vilapanmātrā śokaṃ kṛtvā rudanmuhuḥ putraṃ vinā mariṣyāvas tvaṃ ca śokānmariṣyasi
ಆಗ ತಾಯಿ ವಿಲಪಿಸುತ್ತಾ, ಶೋಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಮುಳುಗಿ, ಮರುಮರು ಅಳುತ್ತಾ ಶಾಪವಿಟ್ಟಳು—“ಪುತ್ರನಿಲ್ಲದೆ ನಾನು ಸಾಯುವೆ; ನೀನೂ ಶೋಕದಿಂದ ಸಾಯುವೆ।”
A grieving mother (within the narrated episode; primary narrator traditionally Agni to Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa framework)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","practical_application":"Shows the dharmic-psychological force of śoka and the social-ethical weight of a माता-शाप (mother’s curse), used as a cautionary exemplum about harming innocents and the inevitability of karmic consequence.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Mātṛ-śāpa (mother’s curse) arising from grief after loss of son","lookup_keywords":["mātṛ-śāpa","śoka","vilāpa","curse","karma-phala"],"quick_summary":"A bereaved mother curses that she will die without her son and that the offender will also die of grief; the passage underscores the potency of grief-born speech and the moral gravity of causing such suffering."}
Concept: Speech empowered by intense suffering (śoka) can function as a moral sanction; karma manifests through relational pain mirroring the harm caused.
Application: Avoid negligent harm; when harm occurs, seek immediate restitution and compassionate response to the afflicted to mitigate cascading suffering.
Khanda Section: Itihasa-akhyana (Narrative Episode / Curse and Lamentation)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A mother collapses in grief, crying repeatedly, and pronounces a curse; the atmosphere is heavy with mourning and impending doom.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, expressive anguished face, mother with disheveled hair and raised hand in curse-gesture, attendants or family in sorrow, darkened palette with strong outlines, ritualized depiction of lament.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central grieving mother with dramatic posture, gold used sparingly to heighten sacred-tragic tone, background minimal, emphasis on facial emotion and hand gesture of śāpa.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, refined emotional realism, mother seated or fallen with tears indicated, clear narrative focus on curse utterance, subdued colors and delicate shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate domestic tragedy scene, mother lamenting with surrounding figures in mourning, detailed textiles and architecture, restrained color scheme emphasizing sorrow."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Darbari Kanada","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: विलपन्मात्रा = विलपन् + मात्रा; रुदन्मुहुः = रुदन् + मुहुः; मरिष्यावस् (पाठ) → मरिष्यावः (2nd person dual); शोकान्मरिष्यसि = शोकात् + मरिष्यसि.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: karma-phala and śāpa-anugraha narrative patterns; Agni Purana: dharma narratives illustrating consequences of violence/negligence
FAQs
No ritual or technical vidyā is taught here; the verse functions as narrative dharma-illustration, showing how intense grief can lead to a śāpa (curse) and consequential speech.
Beyond rituals and sciences, the Agni Purāṇa preserves didactic storytelling—using human emotions (śoka) and ethical causality to teach consequences, complementing its encyclopedic coverage of dharma, conduct, and narrative instruction.
It highlights the karmic weight of speech uttered in extreme sorrow: a curse born of grief can become a binding cause of suffering, warning against uncontrolled lamentation and harmful vows.