Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 1
Chapter 229 — शकुनानि (Śakuna: Omens)
इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे स्वप्नाध्यायी नाम अष्टाविंशत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः अथ एकोनत्रिंशदधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः शकुनानि पुष्कर उवाच औषधानि च युक्तानि धान्यं कृष्णमशोभनं कार्पासं तृणशुष्कञ्च गोमयं वै धनानि च
ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe svapnādhyāyī nāma aṣṭāviṃśatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ atha ekonatriṃśadadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ śakunāni puṣkara uvāca auṣadhāni ca yuktāni dhānyaṃ kṛṣṇamaśobhanaṃ kārpāsaṃ tṛṇaśuṣkañca gomayaṃ vai dhanāni ca
ഇങ്ങനെ അഗ്നി മഹാപുരാണത്തിലെ ‘സ്വപ്നാധ്യായം’ എന്ന 228-ാം അധ്യായം സമാപിച്ചു. ഇനി 229-ാം അധ്യായം ‘ശകുനങ്ങൾ’ ആരംഭിക്കുന്നു. പുഷ്കരൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ചേർത്ത് തയ്യാറാക്കിയ ഔഷധങ്ങൾ; കറുത്ത ധാന്യം അശുഭം; പഞ്ഞി, ഉണങ്ങിയ പുല്ല്, ഗോമയം, ധനസമ്പത്ത് (ഇവയും ഈ സന്ദർഭത്തിൽ) പറയപ്പെടുന്നു.
Puṣkara
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Jyotisha","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Śakuna-śāstra for interpreting encountered objects/visions as auspicious or inauspicious before rituals, journeys, trade, or royal undertakings.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Śakuna-prakaraṇa (Omens): Items Encountered—Medicines, Dark Grain, Cotton, Dry Grass, Cow-dung, Wealth","lookup_keywords":["śakuna","nimitta","svapna-adhyāya","auṣadha","dhānya"],"quick_summary":"Introduces the omens chapter and lists encountered items with their omen-value; notably, dark/black grain is marked inauspicious, while common materials like cotton, dry grass, cow-dung, and wealth are included as omen-signifiers depending on context."}
Concept: Nimitta-jñāna: reading signs in ordinary objects to guide timing and conduct of actions.
Application: Before starting a rite or venture, note what is first encountered; interpret it per śakuna lists to decide proceed/propitiate/avoid.
Khanda Section: Jyotiṣa / Śakuna-śāstra (Omens and oneiromancy within the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic lore)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sage (Puṣkara) begins teaching omens, with objects laid out: jars of prepared medicines, a heap of dark grain, cotton bolls, dried grass bundles, cow-dung cakes, and a pouch of coins/valuables.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: seated rishi teaching disciples, stylized trays showing auṣadha jars, black grain heap, cotton, dry grass, cow-dung cakes, coins; warm earthy palette, temple-education ambience, ornamental borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: Puṣkara as central guru with halo-like arch, disciples at sides; gold-embossed trays of medicines and wealth, cotton and grain rendered richly; heavy gold work on borders and vessels.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: didactic layout—guru pointing to labeled objects (auṣadha, kṛṣṇa-dhānya, kārpāsa, tṛṇa-śuṣka, gomaya, dhana); fine lines, soft colors, manuscript-illustration feel.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: scholarly gathering in a pavilion; detailed still-life of medicines in glass/ceramic, grain sacks, cotton, grass, cow-dung cakes, coins; naturalistic textures, delicate shading, calligraphic margins."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: इत्य् = इति + (अ) (यणादेश/लोप-प्रयोगः; पदान्त-इकारस्य परे स्वरादौ संयोग-रूपेण ‘इत्य’); नभो 'ध्यायः = अध्यायः इत्यादौ अवग्रहः (’ = अ)
Related Themes: Agni Purana 228: Svapna-adhyāya (Dreams) colophon preceding this; Agni Purana 229: Śakuna-prakaraṇa continuation in subsequent verses
FAQs
It opens the Śakuna (omen) section and lists everyday substances (prepared medicines, grain, cotton, dry grass, cow-dung, wealth) as items whose appearance/association is read for auspicious or inauspicious indication—especially noting black grain as unfavorable.
By shifting from dream-lore (svapna) to omen-lore (śakuna), it demonstrates the Purana’s catalog-like coverage of applied knowledge—divination markers, household materials, and practical prognostics alongside religious narratives.
Reading omens is presented as a way to align actions with favorable timing and avoid inauspicious undertakings, thereby reducing obstacles and supporting dharmic, merit-producing choices.