Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 34
Description of the Royal Dynasties (राजवंशवर्णनम्) — Chapter Colophon and Transition
ऋक्षस्य तु द्वितीयस्य भीमसेनो ऽभवत्सुतः प्रतीपो भीमसेनात्तु प्रतीपस्य तु शान्तनुः
ṛkṣasya tu dvitīyasya bhīmaseno 'bhavatsutaḥ pratīpo bhīmasenāttu pratīpasya tu śāntanuḥ
Daripada Ṛkṣa, pada cabang yang kedua, lahirlah Bhīmasena sebagai putera. Daripada Bhīmasena lahirlah Pratīpa, dan daripada Pratīpa lahirlah Śāntanu.
Lord Agni (narrating puranic genealogies to Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Tracks the lineage leading to Śāntanu, a pivotal Mahābhārata ancestor; supports epic contextualization and dharmic kingship exemplars.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Line to Śāntanu: Ṛkṣa → Bhīmasena → Pratīpa → Śāntanu","lookup_keywords":["Pratīpa","Śāntanu","Ṛkṣa","Bhīmasena","Kuru lineage"],"quick_summary":"Gives the direct ancestral chain culminating in Śāntanu, enabling quick placement of later epic figures (Bhīṣma, Pāṇḍu, Dhṛtarāṣṭra) in the dynastic map."}
Concept: Intergenerational continuity of rājadharma through named succession.
Application: Encourages viewing governance as a trust transmitted across generations, with accountability to lineage and dharma.
Khanda Section: Vamsha-Anucharita (Genealogies of royal lineages)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A stepped ancestral procession: Ṛkṣa, Bhīmasena, Pratīpa, and Śāntanu shown in sequence, each passing a royal emblem (scepter/standard) to the next.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, four-figure procession with stylized crowns and dhoti; each figure in a lotus medallion connected by a serpent-vine border; warm ochre background.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, vertical composition with gold-foiled halos; Śāntanu emphasized larger at bottom as culmination; ornate throne motifs and temple-like arch framing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic panel with sequential figures and captions; restrained ornament; focus on clarity of the chain to Śāntanu.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, genealogical album page: four portraits in stacked registers with calligraphy; subtle landscape or palace backdrop; fine detailing of regalia."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भीमसेनः+अभवत्→भीमसेनोऽभवत्; अभवत्+सुतः→अभवत्सुतः; भीमसेनात्+तु→भीमसेनात्तु.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 277 (Kuru vamsha continuation)
FAQs
This verse imparts vamśa-vidyā (genealogical knowledge): the precise succession of kings—Ṛkṣa → Bhīmasena → Pratīpa → Śāntanu—used for preserving dynastic history and contextualizing dharma and rulership traditions.
By cataloging royal genealogies alongside rituals, polity, medicine, and arts, the Agni Purana functions as a reference compendium; this verse is a data-point in its historical-indexing of Mahābhārata-era lineages (especially the Kuru–Paurava line).
Remembering and reciting righteous lineages is traditionally treated as smṛti and śravaṇa of dharmic history, reinforcing reverence for ancestral dharma and the ideal of kingly duty (rājadharma) exemplified by celebrated dynasties.