Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 15
Chapter 19 — कश्यपवंशवर्णनम्
Description of Kaśyapa’s Lineage
गृध्रिका शुचि सुग्रीवा ताभ्यः काकादयो ऽभवन् अरः शकुनिस्त्वतीति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः शक्निस्त्वथेति ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः द्विमूर्धा शम्बराद्याश् च इति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः गृध्रिका च शुचिग्रीवो इति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः गृध्रिकाशुचिसुग्रीवो इति ग, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः अश्वाश्चोष्ट्राश् च ताम्राया अरुणो गरुडस् तथा
gṛdhrikā śuci sugrīvā tābhyaḥ kākādayo 'bhavan araḥ śakunistvatīti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ śaknistvatheti ṅa, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ dvimūrdhā śambarādyāś ca iti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ gṛdhrikā ca śucigrīvo iti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ gṛdhrikāśucisugrīvo iti ga, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ aśvāścoṣṭrāś ca tāmrāyā aruṇo garuḍas tathā
De Gṛdhrikā, Śuci e Sugrīvā nasceram o corvo e outras aves. (Segundo uma recensão) mencionam-se também Ara e Śakuni. De Tāmrā nasceram cavalos e camelos; e igualmente Aruṇa e Garuḍa.
Lord Agni (narrating the Purana’s cosmological-genealogical account to the seer, in the standard Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Mythic zoological genealogy: mapping birds and notable beings (Aruṇa, Garuḍa) to maternal lines; also supports textual criticism awareness via variant readings noted in recensions.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Bird and animal origins from Gṛdhrikā–Śuci–Sugrīvā and Tāmrā; Aruṇa and Garuḍa","lookup_keywords":["Gṛdhrikā","Śuci","Sugrīvā","Tāmrā","Garuḍa"],"quick_summary":"Assigns origins of crows and other birds to specific mothers and attributes horses, camels, Aruṇa, and Garuḍa to Tāmrā’s line; the verse also preserves variant readings, useful for recension comparison."}
Concept: Creation accounts function as classificatory knowledge; variant pāṭhas indicate living transmission and layered tradition.
Application: When teaching or editing Purāṇic text, note variant readings (pāṭhabheda) and keep genealogical attributions consistent across recensions.
Khanda Section: Puranic Cosmology and Genealogy (Sarga/Pratisarga; creation-lineages of beings and birds)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A creation-genealogy scene: mother-figures Gṛdhrikā, Śuci, Sugrīvā with emerging birds (crow and others); Tāmrā with horses, camels, and the radiant figures Aruṇa and Garuḍa.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, three maternal figures with stylized birds flying out; Tāmrā in the center with horses and camels below, Garuḍa large with spread wings, Aruṇa in dawn-red beside him, flat ornamental background.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, Tāmrā enthroned with gold halo, embossed gold wings for Garuḍa, Aruṇa in red-gold attire, horses and camels in lower register, rich temple-arch frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, diagrammatic yet elegant: labeled mothers and offspring groups, Garuḍa rendered prominently with precise wing patterning, subdued pastel wash for clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, naturalistic birds and animals, Tāmrā seated in a landscape, Garuḍa soaring overhead, Aruṇa as a red-clad attendant figure, marginal notes indicating variant readings."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ऽभवन् = अभवन् (a- elision after o); अश्वाश्चोष्ट्राश् च = अश्वाः + च + उष्ट्राः + च; गरुडस् तथा = गरुडः + तथा. Note: The provided Devanagari includes manuscript variant notes (चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः); analysis follows the main readable pādas: गृध्रिका शुचि सुग्रीवा ... अश्वाः च उष्ट्राः च ...
Related Themes: Agni Purana 19 (pakṣi/paśu sarga lists)
FAQs
This verse conveys cosmological-genealogical knowledge (sarga-vyavasthā): the Purāṇic mapping of species and divine beings to specific progenitresses, used to systematize creation narratives rather than prescribe a ritual.
By cataloguing origins of birds, animals, and divine figures (Aruṇa, Garuḍa), it functions like a mythic taxonomy—one of the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic strands alongside rituals, polity, medicine, and arts.
Remembering creation-lineages is traditionally treated as purāṇa-śravaṇa-smṛti: it strengthens dharmic worldview, situates beings within cosmic order, and supports reverence for divine manifestations like Garuḍa.