Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 28
Chapter 19 — कश्यपवंशवर्णनम्
Description of Kaśyapa’s Lineage
उच्चैःश्रवास् तथाश्वानां सुधन्वा पूर्वपालकः दक्षिणस्यां शङ्खपदः केतुमान् पालको जले हिरण्यरोमकः सौम्ये प्रतिसर्गोयमीरितः
uccaiḥśravās tathāśvānāṃ sudhanvā pūrvapālakaḥ dakṣiṇasyāṃ śaṅkhapadaḥ ketumān pālako jale hiraṇyaromakaḥ saumye pratisargoyamīritaḥ
അശ്വങ്ങളിൽ ഉച്ചൈഃശ്രവസ് ശ്രേഷ്ഠൻ; കിഴക്കുദിക്കിന്റെ പാലകൻ സുദന്വാ; തെക്കിൽ ശങ്കപദ; ജലത്തിൽ കേതുമാൻ പാലകൻ; സൗമ്യം എന്ന ഉത്തരദിക്കിൽ ഹിരണ്യരോമക—ഇങ്ങനെ പ്രതിസർഗ്ഗവിവരണം പ്രസ്താവിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു।
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the common Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Jyotisha","practical_application":"Directional-guardian mapping for ritual orientation (dik-bandhana), temple/mandala planning, and mnemonic cosmography of lokapālas/nāgas/guardians.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Directional guardians and exemplars: Uccaiḥśravas and quarter/water guardians","lookup_keywords":["Uccaihshravas","Sudhanva","Shankhapada","Ketuman","Hiranyaromaka"],"quick_summary":"Lists a foremost horse (Uccaiḥśravas) and assigns named guardians to directions and waters, framing them as part of pratisarga cosmographic ordering."}
Concept: Cosmos is structured by directional governance; names function as handles for ritualized spatial cognition.
Application: Apply in dik-nyāsa/dik-bandhana, vāstu orientation, and narrative cosmography; recite while establishing protective quarters in rites.
Khanda Section: Cosmography & Directional Guardians (Lokapāla/Nāga/Animal-Guardians listings)
Primary Rasa: Adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: Shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A cosmographic diagram-like scene: Uccaiḥśravas as the archetypal horse, with four directional sectors labeled—East (Sudhanvā), South (Śaṅkhapada), Waters (Ketumān), North/Saumya (Hiraṇyaromaka).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural with mandala-like compass layout, central celestial horse Uccaiḥśravas, four surrounding guardian figures in traditional attire, directional color coding, stylized waves for ‘jala’, ornate border patterns","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central Uccaiḥśravas with gold embellishments, four guardian panels at cardinal points with embossed gold halos, rich jewel tones, decorative compass motif","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional mandala, fine outlines and soft gradients, labeled directions in Devanagari-style cartouches, guardians posed formally, water sector with lotus and waves","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, geometric garden/charbagh-like compass arrangement, naturalistic white horse, attendants/guardians in each quadrant, delicate calligraphy labels, detailed water rendering for the aquatic guardian"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: उच्चैःश्रवास् = उच्चैःश्रवाः (visarga before consonant in saṃhitā); तथाश्वानां = तथा + अश्वानाम्; प्रतिसर्गोयमीरितः = प्रतिसर्गः + अयम् + ईरितः (visarga sandhi: ः + अ → ओ; अयम् + ईरितः → अयमीरितः)
Related Themes: Agni Purana 19 (pratisarga guardians/enumerations); Agni Purana sections on vāstu/dikpāla placement (later vāstu/shilpa chapters)
FAQs
It transmits cosmographic knowledge: a catalog of named guardians associated with directions and elemental domains (notably water), used for Purāṇic mapping of the cosmos and traditional directional orientation.
By preserving structured lists of beings tied to quarters and elements, it functions like a reference index for Purāṇic cosmology—similar to how other chapters catalog rites, polity, medicine, or aesthetics.
Remembering and reciting cosmological order (directions, guardians, and domains) is traditionally viewed as aligning one’s understanding with dharma and cosmic structure, supporting clarity, auspicious orientation, and reverence for the ordered universe.