Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 8
Chapter 276 — राजवंशवर्णनम्
Description of Royal Lineages
नरायान्तु नरश्चासीत् कृमिस्तु कृमितः सुतः शोभानुस्तस्य चात्मज इति ख शोभानोरासीदिति ख कर्णा इति ज , ट च दशायां सुब्रतो जज्ञे दृशद्वत्यां शिविस् तथा
narāyāntu naraścāsīt kṛmistu kṛmitaḥ sutaḥ śobhānustasya cātmaja iti kha śobhānorāsīditi kha karṇā iti ja , ṭa ca daśāyāṃ subrato jajñe dṛśadvatyāṃ śivis tathā
Daripada Narāyāntu lahir Nara. Daripada Nara lahir Kṛmi; dan Kṛmita ialah putera Kṛmi. Puteranya bernama Śobhānu (menurut satu resensi; resensi lain membaca Śobhānor). Sebahagian naskhah membaca nama itu sebagai Karṇā. Di Daśā lahir Suvrata; dan di wilayah/sungai Dṛśadvatī lahir pula Śivi.
Lord Agni (narrating dynastic genealogy to Vasiṣṭha, as per the usual Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Text-critical awareness in Purāṇic study: tracking variant readings while mapping dynasties and associated places (Daśā, Dṛśadvatī).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Narāyāntu line and variant readings; births in Daśā and Dṛśadvatī","lookup_keywords":["Narāyāntu","Kṛmi","Kṛmita","Śobhānu/Śobhānor","Dṛśadvatī"],"quick_summary":"Lists successive descendants and preserves manuscript variants for a name; also links Suvrata with Daśā and Śivi with Dṛśadvatī, tying genealogy to geography."}
Concept: Śāstra-paramparā depends on careful preservation of names and readings; geography and genealogy mutually authenticate tradition.
Application: When compiling vaṃśāvalīs, record pāṭhabhedas and correlate persons with toponyms to avoid conflation across recensions.
Khanda Section: Vamsha-Anukramanika (Genealogies and dynastic lists)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: River; Region/Settlement
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A manuscript-like genealogy with marginal notes showing variant readings (Śobhānu/Śobhānor/Karṇā), plus small vignettes of Daśā and the river Dṛśadvatī where Suvrata and Śivi are shown as born/established.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, two registers: upper shows lineage portraits Narāyāntu→Nara→Kṛmi→Kṛmita→Śobhānu, lower shows a stylized river labeled Dṛśadvatī with Śivi, and a village scene for Daśā with Suvrata; include palm-leaf manuscript marginal glyphs for variants.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, gold-embellished medallions for each ancestor, side panel with river goddess motif for Dṛśadvatī, ornate name plaques including alternate spellings.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean diagrammatic family tree with callout bubbles for pāṭhabheda, small landscape inset of a riverbank birth-scene, restrained palette and fine outlines.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, folio layout with genealogy text block and illuminated margins; tiny scenes: a court in Daśā and a riverside assembly at Dṛśadvatī; precise calligraphy indicating variant names."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नरायान्-तु → नरायान् + तु; नरश्चासीत् → नरः + च + आसीत्; कृमिस्-तु → कृमिः + तु; शोभानुस्-तस्य → शोभानुः + तस्य; चात्मजः → च + आत्मजः; (पाठभेद-चिह्नानि: ख, ज, ट) retained as indeclinable textual markers; दृशद्वत्यां → दृशद्वती + आम् (सप्तमी एकवचन)
Related Themes: Agni Purana: adjacent vaṃśa lists in 276; Agni Purana: Bhūgola/river descriptions where Dṛśadvatī may be mentioned
FAQs
This verse primarily imparts vamśa-vidyā—genealogical knowledge—by listing successive ancestors and noting manuscript variants of key names.
By preserving dynastic lists, place-names (like Dṛśadvatī), and variant readings across recensions, it functions as a historical-archival register alongside the Purana’s many technical sections.
Remembering and reciting sacred lineages is traditionally treated as smṛti (pious recollection), linking the listener to dharmic continuity and the authority of Purāṇic tradition.