Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 8
Svāyambhuva-vaṁśa-varṇanam
Description of the Lineage of Svāyambhuva Manu
अजीजनत् पुष्करिण्यां वीरिण्यां चाक्षुषो मनुम् मनोरजायन्त दश नड्वलायां सुतोत्तमाः
ajījanat puṣkariṇyāṃ vīriṇyāṃ cākṣuṣo manum manorajāyanta daśa naḍvalāyāṃ sutottamāḥ
ചാക്ഷുഷ (മനു) പുഷ്കരിണിയിൽ നിന്നു മനുവിനെ (ചാക്ഷുഷ എന്ന പേരിൽ) ജനിപ്പിച്ചു; വീരിണിയിൽ നിന്നു പത്തു ഉത്തമ പുത്രന്മാർ ജനിച്ചു; നഡ്വലയിൽ നിന്നുമും ശ്രേഷ്ഠ പുത്രന്മാർ ജനിച്ചു.
Lord Agni (narrating to the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Samanya","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Genealogical indexing of Manus and their progeny for aligning manvantara narratives, śrāddha line remembrance, and royal-dharma exemplars.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Cākṣuṣa-Manu: mothers and progeny branches","lookup_keywords":["Cākṣuṣa Manu","Puṣkariṇī","Vīriṇī","Naḍvalā","daśa putrāḥ"],"quick_summary":"Notes the begetting of Cākṣuṣa Manu from Puṣkariṇī and enumerates that ten excellent sons arise from Vīriṇī, with additional ‘best sons’ from Naḍvalā—mapping maternal lines within the manvantara genealogy."}
Concept: Manu as archetype of law/order; lineage narration legitimizes dharma transmission through manvantara cycles.
Application: Contextual reading for dharma discussions: why ‘Manu’ is invoked as authority; how manvantara frames time and governance.
Khanda Section: Vamsha-Anucarita (Genealogies of Manus and royal lineages)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A genealogical scene: Cākṣuṣa Manu seated as lawgiver-king; Puṣkariṇī, Vīriṇī, and Naḍvalā shown as maternal figures with groups of sons indicated in orderly rows.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Manu enthroned with palm-leaf manuscript, three queens/consorts in traditional attire, ten sons depicted as youthful princes in a row, stylized lotus and genealogical creeper motifs.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, Manu with golden crown and manuscript, Puṣkariṇī presented with a child, Vīriṇī with ten sons in symmetrical composition, Naḍvalā with additional sons, heavy gold ornamentation.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, diagrammatic clarity: Manu at center, three consorts in side panels, sons grouped with count markers, soft colors and fine outlines for instructional genealogy.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly genealogy illustration with labeled figures, delicate architecture backdrop, sons arranged by maternal household, refined textiles and subdued palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चाक्षुषो = च + आक्षुषः; मनोरजायन्त = मनौ + अजायन्त (मनौ + अजायन्त → मनोरजायन्त)
Related Themes: Agni Purana manvantara descriptions and subsequent king-lists tied to Cākṣuṣa Manu; Agni Purana sarga/pratisarga framework where Manus recur
FAQs
This verse imparts Itihasa–Purana vidya in the form of manvantara-genealogy: it records progenitors (Manu) and maternal lines (consorts) used to structure Puranic cosmology and dynastic chronology.
By cataloguing Manus, queens/consorts, and offspring, it functions like a historical-cosmological index—one of the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic strands alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and arts.
Remembering and reciting sacred lineages (vamsha) is traditionally treated as smṛti-oriented punya: it reinforces dharmic continuity and situates human conduct within a cosmic order governed by successive Manus.