Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 14
Chapter 19 — कश्यपवंशवर्णनम्
Description of Kaśyapa’s Lineage
प्रह्रादस्य चतुष्कोट्यो निवातकवचाः कुले ताम्रायाः षट् सुताः स्युश् च काकी श्वेनी च भास्यपि
prahrādasya catuṣkoṭyo nivātakavacāḥ kule tāmrāyāḥ ṣaṭ sutāḥ syuś ca kākī śvenī ca bhāsyapi
Na linhagem de Prahlāda havia os Nivātakavacas, em número de quatro koṭis. E de Tāmra houve seis filhos—entre eles Kākī, Śvenī e também Bhāsī.
Lord Agni (narrating puranic genealogies to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Reference for identifying Nivātakavaca affiliation with Prahlāda’s line and for classifying bird lineages from Tāmrā in mythic zoology.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Prahlāda lineage: Nivātakavacas; Tāmrā’s six sons (bird clans)","lookup_keywords":["Prahlāda","Nivātakavaca","Tāmrā","Kākī","Śvenī"],"quick_summary":"Indexes two genealogical facts: the enormous Nivātakavaca population within Prahlāda’s lineage and the named avian progeny of Tāmrā, serving as a quick lookup for mythic ethnography and bird-clan origins."}
Concept: Purāṇic taxonomy links species/clans to progenitors; numbers (koṭi) function as cosmological scale markers.
Application: Use as a concordance node when tracing Nivātakavaca episodes (often tied to epic warfare narratives) and avian genealogies.
Khanda Section: Genealogies and Lineages (Daitya–Danava Vamsha / Puranic Genealogy)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Two-part scene: (1) Prahlāda’s clan with armored Nivātakavacas in the background; (2) Tāmrā as a mother-figure with six bird-sons represented as distinct bird forms (crow-like, hawk-like, etc.).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural split-panel: left Prahlāda with rows of stylized armored asuras (Nivātakavacas), right Tāmrā seated with six birds around her, bold outlines, decorative foliage.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore diptych: Prahlāda with gold halo and embossed armor motifs for Nivātakavacas; Tāmrā with six jeweled bird emblems, heavy gold work and temple-arch frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore instructional illustration: labeled ‘Prahlāda-kula’ with grouped warriors; labeled ‘Tāmrā-putrāḥ’ with six bird sketches, neat composition for clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, battlefield camp in one corner showing Nivātakavacas; garden aviary in another with Tāmrā and six birds, fine feather detailing and calligraphic labels."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कोट्यो = कोट्यः (visarga loss before voiced consonant); स्युश् च = स्युः + च; भास्यपि = भासी + अपि
Related Themes: Agni Purana 19 (Daitya/Dānava and pakṣi-vaṃśa lists)
FAQs
No ritual or technical vidyā is taught here; the verse functions as a genealogical register, recording the number and names of Danava lineages associated with Prahlāda and Tāmra.
By cataloguing lineages, population counts (koṭi-based enumeration), and proper names, it preserves mytho-historical data used across Purāṇic narrative, cosmology, and inter-textual cross-referencing—one key way the Agni Purana operates as a compendium.
The significance is indirect: recitation and study of Purāṇic genealogies is traditionally regarded as smṛti-saṃvardhana (strengthening sacred memory) and as supporting dharma by preserving the continuity of sacred history and exemplars.