Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 19
Chapter 19 — कश्यपवंशवर्णनम्
Description of Kaśyapa’s Lineage
एषां पुत्रादयो ऽसङ्ख्या देवैर् वै दानवा जिताः दितिर्विनष्टपुत्रा वै तोषयामास कश्यपं
eṣāṃ putrādayo 'saṅkhyā devair vai dānavā jitāḥ ditirvinaṣṭaputrā vai toṣayāmāsa kaśyapaṃ
അവരുടെ പുത്രാദി സന്തതികൾ അസംഖ്യമായിരുന്നു; എങ്കിലും ദാനവർ ദേവന്മാരാൽ ജയിക്കപ്പെട്ടു. പുത്രനഷ്ടം വന്ന ദിതി പിന്നെ കശ്യപനെ പ്രസാദിപ്പിക്കാൻ ശ്രമിച്ചു।
Lord Agni (narrating the Purāṇic account to Vasiṣṭha, standard Agni Purāṇa frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Explains the narrative motive for later conflicts and boons: grief, defeat, and propitiation leading to consequential births.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Diti’s grief and propitiation of Kaśyapa after Dānava defeat","lookup_keywords":["danava","diti","kashyapa","deva-asura","toshayamas"],"quick_summary":"Despite innumerable descendants, the Dānavas are defeated; Diti, bereft of sons, turns to propitiate Kaśyapa—setting up the boon-driven causality of subsequent events."}
Alamkara Type: Karuna (rasa-pradhanya) with narrative contrast
Concept: Turning to tapas/propitiation after loss; boons arise from disciplined approach rather than mere power.
Application: Models a Purāṇic ethic: channel grief into regulated vow/appeasement of a guru/ṛṣi to seek lawful outcomes.
Khanda Section: Puranic Itihasa-Genealogy (Deva–Asura/Danava lineage narrative)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"After a battlefield defeat, Diti mourns fallen sons; she approaches the sage Kaśyapa with offerings, seeking to please him for a boon.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, two-register scene: upper band shows devas victorious over dark-toned dānavas; lower band shows Diti in sorrow with loosened hair approaching Kaśyapa seated in āśrama, offering flowers and water; expressive eyes, temple-mural palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Kaśyapa enthroned-like on a simple seat with gold halo; Diti kneeling with offering tray, tears suggested; background with stylized battle silhouettes; gold embossing on ornaments and borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, gentle emotional rendering: Diti’s lament, Kaśyapa calm; āśrama details (kamandalu, deer, trees) and a faint distant battle scene; fine linework.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed forest hermitage, Diti in subdued attire presenting gifts, Kaśyapa as ascetic; distant vignette of battle with devas and dānavas; nuanced facial expressions."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पुत्रादयोऽसङ्ख्याः = पुत्र-आदयः असङ्ख्याः; देवैर् = देवैः; दितिर्विनष्टपुत्रा = दितिः विनष्ट-पुत्रा.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 19.20-21 (Diti’s intent; Indra and Maruts outcome)
FAQs
No explicit ritual procedure is taught here; the verse conveys a Purāṇic narrative point: after the Dānavas’ defeat and the loss of her sons, Diti turns to propitiation of Kaśyapa, implying recourse to austerity/pleasing a sage as a means to seek remedy.
It preserves mythic history and genealogical-theological context—one of the Agni Purāṇa’s encyclopedic layers—situating later teachings within the broader Purāṇic framework of cosmic conflict, lineages, and moral causality.
The verse highlights karmic reversal (even innumerable descendants can be overcome) and points to a spiritual response to loss: seeking reconciliation/boons through respectful propitiation of a venerable ṛṣi (Kaśyapa), rather than through further hostility.