Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 23
Chapter 13 — कुरुपाण्डवोत्पत्त्यादिकथनं
Narration of the Origin of the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, and Related Matters
न इति ग, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः द्रौपदीं पञ्च पाण्डवा इति ख, ग, ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकत्रयपाठः वसुपूर्णमिति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः रत्नपूर्णमिति घ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः कङ्को द्विजो ह्य् अभूच्छ्रेष्ठ इति ख,चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः बृहन्नलार्जुनो भार्या सैरिन्ध्री यमजौ तथा अन्यनाम्ना भीमसेनः कीचकञ्चाबधीन्निशि
na iti ga, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ draupadīṃ pañca pāṇḍavā iti kha, ga, ṅa, cihnitapustakatrayapāṭhaḥ vasupūrṇamiti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ ratnapūrṇamiti gha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ kaṅko dvijo hy abhūcchreṣṭha iti kha,cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ bṛhannalārjuno bhāryā sairindhrī yamajau tathā anyanāmnā bhīmasenaḥ kīcakañcābadhīnniśi
‘ന ഇതി’—ഗ ശാഖയിലെ ചിഹ്നിത ഹസ്തപ്രതിയിലെ പാഠം. ‘ദ്രൗപദീം പഞ്ച പാണ്ഡവാഃ’—ഖ, ഗ, ങ ശാഖകളിലെ ചിഹ്നിത ഹസ്തപ്രതികളുടെ പാഠം. ‘വസുപൂർണം’—ഖ ശാഖ പാഠം; ‘രത്നപൂർണം’—ഘ ശാഖ പാഠം. ‘കങ്കോ ദ്വിജോ ഹ്യഭൂച്ഛ്രേഷ്ഠഃ’—ഖ ശാഖ പാഠം. കഥയിൽ: അർജുനൻ ബൃഹന്നലാ; ഭാര്യ സൈരിന്ധ്രീ; യമജരും അതുപോലെ; ഭീമസേനൻ മറ്റൊരു നാമത്തിൽ രാത്രിയിൽ കീചകനെ വധിച്ചു.
Lord Agni (narrating puranic/itihasa material to Vasiṣṭha; verse contains embedded critical-variant notes)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vyakarana","secondary_vidya":"Alamkara","practical_application":"पाठान्तर-परम्परा (recensions) की पहचान, शुद्ध-पाठ निर्धारण, और कथा-सार को स्थिर करने हेतु पाठ-समालोचना।","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"पाठान्तर-निर्देश: विराट-पर्व प्रसंग में विभिन्न पाण्डुलिपि-पाठ","lookup_keywords":["पाठान्तर","चिह्नितपुस्तक","कङ्क","वसुपूर्ण/रत्नपूर्ण","बृहन्नला"],"quick_summary":"विभिन्न पाण्डुलिपियों के पाठ-भेद दर्ज कर के ग्रन्थ-सम्पादन का आधार दिया गया है; साथ ही अज्ञातवास के छद्म-नामों/कर्मों का संक्षेप-स्मरण कराया गया है।"}
Concept: शास्त्र-परम्परा में प्रमाण-निर्णय हेतु पाठ-भेदों का विवेकपूर्ण संकलन।
Application: ग्रन्थ-अध्ययन/अनुवाद में संस्करण-तुलना, variant readings नोट करना, और संदर्भानुसार श्रेष्ठ-पाठ चुनना।
Khanda Section: Itihasa-Purana-Samgraha (Narrative synopsis; Pandava-Charita / Virata-parva allusion)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"एक ओर ‘पाठान्तर’ का विद्वत्-परिवेश—लेखक/सम्पादक पाण्डुलिपियाँ मिलाते हुए; दूसरी ओर अज्ञातवास के रूप: बृहन्नला-अर्जुन, सैरिन्ध्री-द्रौपदी, यमज, और रात्रि में कीचक-वध।","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, split narrative: scribes with palm-leaf manuscripts and stylus, beside dramatic night scene of Bhima slaying Kichaka, Arjuna as Brihannala in dance-teacher attire, Draupadi as Sairindhri, bold outlines and earthy palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, scholarly manuscript collation scene with gold-leaf borders, inset medallions showing Brihannala, Sairindhri, twins, and nocturnal Kichaka episode, ornate jewelry and gilded highlights","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic tableau: labeled figures with their disguise names, neat composition, fine linework, soft colors; a corner shows manuscripts with variant readings","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, atelier-like scene of scholars comparing manuscripts, adjacent vignette of palace night confrontation with Kichaka, detailed textiles, lamps, and architectural interiors"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Saraswati","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: This item contains extensive critical apparatus; analyzed only the main narrative segment: बृहन्नला अर्जुनः ... कीचकम् च अबधीत् निशि. Sandhi: बृहन्नला+अर्जुनः→बृहन्नलार्जुनो; कीचकम्+च+अबधीत्+निशि→कीचकञ्चाबधीन्निशि (with nasal assimilation and gemination).
Related Themes: Agni Purana samgraha-style chapters where lists/variants occur (general editorial strata)
FAQs
This verse primarily preserves Itihāsa-identifications (aliases used during the Pāṇḍavas’ incognito period) and also reflects a technical feature of Sanskrit textual transmission: manuscript-variant readings (pāṭha-bheda) noted across recensions.
By compressing Mahābhārata episode-data (names, disguises, and key actions) into a catalog-like form and preserving variant readings, it functions as a reference index—typical of the Agni Purāṇa’s encyclopedic method of summarizing and systematizing large bodies of tradition.
The passage signals dharma preserved under hardship—righteous endurance, strategic concealment for protecting vows, and the removal of adharma (Kīcaka’s oppression) through Bhīma’s act—framed as exemplary conduct remembered within purāṇic recollection.