Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 21
Somavaṁśa-varṇanam
Description of the Lunar Dynasty
पञ्चाग्न्या इति ज पञ्चाग्न्यमिति ञ यतिः कुमारभावे ऽपि विष्णुं ध्यात्वा हरिं गतः देवयानी शक्रकन्या ययातेः पत्न्य् अभूत् तदा
pañcāgnyā iti ja pañcāgnyamiti ña yatiḥ kumārabhāve 'pi viṣṇuṃ dhyātvā hariṃ gataḥ devayānī śakrakanyā yayāteḥ patny abhūt tadā
ജ-പാഠത്തിൽ ‘പഞ്ചാഗ്ന്യാ’ എന്നും ഞ-പാഠത്തിൽ ‘പഞ്ചാഗ്ന്യം’ എന്നും വായന. യതി ബാല്യത്തിലുമെല്ലാം വിഷ്ണുവിനെ ധ്യാനിച്ച് ഹരിയെ പ്രാപിച്ചു. അപ്പോൾ ശക്രൻ (ഇന്ദ്രൻ)യുടെ പുത്രി ദേവയാനി യയാതിയുടെ ഭാര്യയായി.
Agni (narrating to Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Genealogical orientation for Itihasa reading; plus awareness of recension-variants (pāṭhabheda) when memorizing/reciting.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Pāṭhabheda ‘pañcāgnyā/pñcāgnyam’ and Yati’s Viṣṇu-dhyāna; Devayānī–Yayāti marriage","lookup_keywords":["pāṭhabheda","pañcāgnyā","Yati","Devayānī","Yayāti"],"quick_summary":"Records a textual variant and links a bhakti-exemplum (Yati attaining Hari through meditation) with the dynastic event of Devayānī marrying Yayāti."}
Concept: Even in youth, Viṣṇu-dhyāna can culminate in sāyujya/attainment of Hari; bhakti overrides age and social station.
Application: Use as a smaraṇa-model: daily Viṣṇu-dhyāna with single-pointedness; cultivate early-life spiritual discipline.
Khanda Section: Itihasa-Puranic Genealogies (Yayati–Yadu Lineage; Exempla of Bhakti and Karma)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A young Yati seated in meditation, visualizing Viṣṇu; beside/afterward, a royal marriage scene of Devayānī (Indra’s daughter) with King Yayāti; a marginal scribal note indicating two readings ‘pañcāgnyā/pñcāgnyam’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat warm palette, young ascetic boy Yati in padmāsana with haloed Viṣṇu appearing in the mind-space, secondary vignette of Devayānī and Yayāti in royal attire, palm-leaf manuscript margin showing pāṭhabheda, ornate borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold leaf, central meditating Yati with embossed gold aura, Viṣṇu with śaṅkha-cakra in a radiant prabhāmaṇḍala, smaller panel of Devayānī–Yayāti wedding with heavy jewelry and gold detailing, inscription-like cartouche for the variant reading","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, delicate linework, instructional manuscript feel: left panel shows ‘pañcāgnyā/pñcāgnyam’ as calligraphic note, center Yati’s dhyāna with subtle Viṣṇu visualization, right panel royal couple Devayānī and Yayāti, muted pastel background","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, fine detailing: a young prince-ascetic Yati meditating in a garden pavilion, translucent vision of Viṣṇu above, adjacent court scene of Yayāti receiving Devayānī, marginal nastaʿlīq-like annotation mimicking pāṭhabheda note, rich textiles"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: kumārabhāve 'pi = kumāra-bhāve api; patny abhūt = patnī abhūt (ī + a sandhi).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 273 (Yayāti–Yadu context); Agni Purana 274–275 (transition to Yaduvaṃśa)
FAQs
This verse primarily preserves a narrative and a textual-variant note (alternate readings), while conveying bhakti-yoga in practice: meditation on Viṣṇu leading to attainment (mokṣa).
It shows the Purāṇa’s encyclopedic scope by combining (1) dynastic history and genealogy (Yayāti–Devayānī) with (2) spiritual exempla (Yati’s devotion) and (3) philological transmission markers (variant readings across recensions).
It underscores that sincere meditation on Hari can yield the highest end even without long worldly life or elaborate rites—devotion and remembrance of Viṣṇu are presented as directly liberating.