Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 22
Chapter 7 — रामायणवर्णनं (Description of the Rāmāyaṇa): Śūrpaṇakhā, Khara’s Defeat, and Sītā-haraṇa Prelude
दृष्ट्वा जटायुस्तं प्राह रावणो हृतवांश् च तां मृतो ऽथ संस्कृतस्तेन कबन्धञ्चावधीत्ततः शापमुक्तो ऽब्रवीद्रामं स त्वं सुग्रीवमाव्रज
dṛṣṭvā jaṭāyustaṃ prāha rāvaṇo hṛtavāṃś ca tāṃ mṛto 'tha saṃskṛtastena kabandhañcāvadhīttataḥ śāpamukto 'bravīdrāmaṃ sa tvaṃ sugrīvamāvraja
അവനെ കണ്ട ജടായു പറഞ്ഞു—രാവണൻ അവളെ അപഹരിച്ചുവെന്ന്. പിന്നെ ജടായു മരിച്ചപ്പോൾ രാമൻ വിധിപൂർവ്വം അന്ത്യകർമ്മങ്ങൾ നടത്തി. തുടർന്ന് രാമൻ കബന്ധനെ വധിച്ചു; ശാപമുക്തനായ കബന്ധൻ രാമനോട്—“നീ സുഗ്രീവനെ സമീപിക്ക” എന്നു പറഞ്ഞു।
Agni (narrating the Rāma-kathā to Vasiṣṭha in summary form)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Models dharmic rites for the fallen (antyeṣṭi for Jaṭāyu) and the narrative logic of curse-release leading to actionable guidance (seeking Sugriva).","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Jaṭāyu’s Report, Antyeṣṭi, and Kabandha’s Counsel","lookup_keywords":["Jatayu","antyeshti","Kabandha","shapa-moksha","Sugriva"],"quick_summary":"Jaṭāyu identifies Ravana as Sita’s abductor; Rama performs funerary rites, then slays Kabandha whose curse-release yields strategic counsel to approach Sugriva."}
Alamkara Type: Itihāsa-narrative with saṅkṣepa; śoka and adbhuta via śāpa-mokṣa
Weapon Type: General (slaying of Kabandha implies armed combat)
Concept: Gratitude and righteousness: honoring a helper (Jaṭāyu) with proper rites; suffering beings may be liberated through right action (Kabandha’s śāpa-mokṣa).
Application: Repay assistance with duty and respect; after conflict, seek counsel and alliances rather than acting alone.
Khanda Section: Rāmāyaṇa-kathā (Itihāsa-saṅgraha / Avatāra-kathā)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Jaṭāyu, wounded, indicates Ravana’s abduction; Rama performs cremation rites; later Rama confronts Kabandha, and the released being points the way to Sugriva.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, three-panel narrative: Jaṭāyu speaking to Rama, cremation fire with ritual gestures, fierce Kabandha encounter, then radiant curse-freed figure pointing direction; bold colors, stylized flames","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style triptych: central Rama with gold halo performing rites for Jaṭāyu, side vignette of Kabandha’s defeat and luminous liberation; heavy gold work, iconic poses","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, sequential storytelling with clear labels: Jaṭāyu’s disclosure, antyeṣṭi ritual implements, Kabandha battle, liberated Kabandha instructing; fine detailing and calm composition","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, realistic cremation scene with attendants, then dynamic forest combat with Kabandha, concluding with a serene liberated figure gesturing toward the south; intricate landscape"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: jaṭāyus taṃ → jaṭāyuḥ + tam; mṛto 'tha → mṛtaḥ + atha; saṃskṛtastena → saṃskṛtaḥ + tena; kabandhañcāvadhīttataḥ → kabandham + ca + avadhīt + tataḥ; śāpamukto 'bravīdrāmaṃ → śāpa-muktaḥ + abravīt + rāmam; sugrīvamāvraja → sugrīvam + āvraja.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 7.21 (preceding grief/search); Agni Purana 8.1 (approach to Sugriva)
FAQs
It conveys saṃskāra-vidhi in brief—performing proper antyeṣṭi (funeral rites/cremation) for the dead (Jaṭāyu), presented as a dharmic duty that Rāma fulfills.
By embedding Itihāsa (Rāmāyaṇa episodes) inside a Purāṇic framework, it compresses narrative history, dharma (duty to the dead), and karmic motifs (curse-release) into a compact reference-style summary—typical of the Agni Purāṇa’s multi-topic encyclopedic method.
Kabandha’s śāpa-mukti after being slain illustrates the doctrine that suffering can end through destined encounters and righteous action; the counsel to approach Sugrīva signals divinely aligned cooperation as part of dharma-driven restoration (Sītā’s recovery).