Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 1
Śrīrāmāvatāravarṇanam (Description of Śrī Rāma’s Incarnation) — Ayodhyā Abhiṣeka, Vanavāsa, Daśaratha’s Death, Bharata’s Regency
ः बभञ्ज तद्दृढं धनुरिति ग, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः तदा इति ख, घ, ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकत्रयपाठः भरतोथागात् इति ख, ग, घ, चिह्नितपुस्तकत्रयपाठः अथ षष्ठो ऽध्यायः श्रीरामावतारवर्णनं नारद उवाच भरते ऽथ गते रामः पित्रादीनभ्यपूजयत् राजा दशरथो रामम् उवाच शृणु राघव
ḥ babhañja taddṛḍhaṃ dhanuriti ga, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ tadā iti kha, gha, ṅa, cihnitapustakatrayapāṭhaḥ bharatothāgāt iti kha, ga, gha, cihnitapustakatrayapāṭhaḥ atha ṣaṣṭho 'dhyāyaḥ śrīrāmāvatāravarṇanaṃ nārada uvāca bharate 'tha gate rāmaḥ pitrādīnabhyapūjayat rājā daśaratho rāmam uvāca śṛṇu rāghava
“ਉਸ ਨੇ ਉਹ ਦ੍ਰਿੜ ਧਨੁਸ਼ ਤੋੜ ਦਿੱਤਾ”—ਇਹ ਇੱਕ ਚਿੰਨ੍ਹਿਤ ਹਸਤਲਿਖਤ ਦਾ ਪਾਠ ਹੈ; ਹੋਰ ਹਸਤਲਿਖਤਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ “ਤਦਾਂ” ਅਤੇ ਕੁਝ ਵਿੱਚ “ਅਥ ਭਰਤ ਆਇਆ” ਪਾਠ-ਭੇਦ ਮਿਲਦਾ ਹੈ। ਹੁਣ ਛੇਵਾਂ ਅਧਿਆਇ—‘ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮ ਅਵਤਾਰ ਵਰਣਨ’ ਆਰੰਭ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਨਾਰਦ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ: ਭਰਤ ਦੇ ਚਲੇ ਜਾਣ ਉਪਰੰਤ ਰਾਮ ਨੇ ਪਿਤਾ ਆਦਿ ਬਜ਼ੁਰਗਾਂ ਦਾ ਯਥਾਵਿਧਿ ਸਤਿਕਾਰ ਕੀਤਾ। ਰਾਜਾ ਦਸ਼ਰਥ ਨੇ ਰਾਮ ਨੂੰ ਕਿਹਾ: “ਸੁਣ, ਹੇ ਰਾਘਵ।”
Nārada (narrator within the chapter heading); Daśaratha (direct speech begins: “śṛṇu rāghava”)
Primary Rasa: Adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: Vira
Sandhi Resolution Notes: षष्ठो ऽध्यायः = षष्ठः + अध्यायः; भरते ऽथ = भरते + अथ; पित्रादीनभ्यपूजयत् = पितृ-आदीन् + अभ्यपूजयत्. (Verse contains critical apparatus fragments at beginning; analyzed main continuous śloka portion from ‘अथ षष्ठो…’ onward.)
FAQs
The practical instruction is dharmic conduct: Rāma performs respectful honoring (abhyapūjā) of his father and elders, modeling proper royal and familial etiquette rather than a specialized ritual manual.
It shows the Agni Purana’s scope extending beyond rites and sciences into Itihāsa-style avatāra narration, and it even preserves manuscript-variant notes—reflecting both narrative tradition and textual transmission.
Honoring parents and elders is presented as a core dharma that generates merit (puṇya) and social-spiritual order, especially for a kingly figure whose conduct becomes exemplary.