Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 4
Adhyaya 165 — नानाधर्माः
Various Dharmas
सदा दुःस्थ इति ख , छ च मनुष्याणामिति ङ व्यापिने देयमिति ङ पित्रे चैव यदा सोमो हंसे चैव करे स्थिते तिथिर्वैवस्वतो नाम सा छाया कुञ्जरस्य तु
sadā duḥstha iti kha , cha ca manuṣyāṇāmiti ṅa vyāpine deyamiti ṅa pitre caiva yadā somo haṃse caiva kare sthite tithirvaivasvato nāma sā chāyā kuñjarasya tu
В соответствующих буквенных пометах сказано: «всегда страждущий» (kha; также cha), «людей» (ṅa) и «следует дать Всепроникающему, Вишну» (ṅa). Далее, когда Луна находится в созвездии Haṃsa и также в Kara, этот титхи называется Vaivasvata; связанный с ним образ тени — образ слона.
Lord Agni (traditionally narrating the Agni Purana to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Jyotisha","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Identifying a specific tithi-name (Vaivasvata) via lunar placement in named nakṣatra/asterism markers (Haṃsa, Kara) and using its associated 'shadow-form' (elephant) for ritual coding in śrāddha/dāna timing.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Vaivasvata Tithi: Haṃsa–Kara Moon Placement and Kunjara-chāyā","lookup_keywords":["Vaivasvata tithi","Haṃsa","Kara","tithi-nāma","kuñjara-chāyā"],"quick_summary":"The verse encodes a calendrical identification: when the Moon is in the specified stellar markers (Haṃsa and Kara), the tithi is termed Vaivasvata and is linked with an elephant-shadow (kuñjara-chāyā) designation used in ritual timing."}
Concept: Nāma-rūpa mapping in ritual time: specific celestial configurations are assigned conventional names (tithi-nāma) and symbols (chāyā) to guide dharma-prayoga.
Application: In pañcāṅga practice, verify Moon’s placement against the tradition’s Haṃsa/Kara markers to label the tithi as Vaivasvata for the intended rite and to apply the associated chāyā-based rule-set.
Khanda Section: Jyotiṣa / Tithi-nāma-nirūpaṇa (Calendar & Astral Time-Units)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An astronomer-priest indicates the Moon’s position in a star-map labeled Haṃsa and Kara; beside it, a calendrical tablet naming the tithi 'Vaivasvata' and an emblematic elephant-shadow motif.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: stylized night sky with nakṣatra clusters labeled Haṃsa and Kara, a priest-astronomer with palm-leaf manuscript, symbolic elephant silhouette as chāyā, flat bold colors and sacred geometry borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: ornate circular star-map with gold accents, Moon highlighted, inscription 'Vaivasvata', elephant emblem rendered with gold relief, devotional-technical fusion aesthetic.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: clean didactic panel—top: nakṣatra diagram; middle: Moon placement; bottom: tithi name 'Vaivasvata' and kuñjara-chāyā icon, fine lines and muted palette.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: observatory scene with instruments, scholar pointing to lunar chart, attendants holding a calendar folio titled Vaivasvata, subtle elephant-shadow cast on courtyard floor."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Text contains manuscript markers (ख, छ, ङ) and punctuation; treated as non-grammatical indeclinables. तिथिर्वैवस्वतो→तिथिः वैवस्वतः; चैव→च एव.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Tithi-nāma-nirūpaṇa passages; Agni Purana: Grahaṇa/Chāyā terminology sections
FAQs
It gives jyotiṣa-style identification of a specific tithi called “Vaivasvata,” keyed to the Moon’s placement (Haṃsa and Kara), and adds a ritual cue about dedicatory giving (dāna) to the all-pervading Viṣṇu and/or the Pitṛs, along with an omen-image (elephant shadow-form).
It exemplifies the Purana’s calendrical and astral-ritual compendium: naming time-units (tithi), linking them to astronomical placements, prescribing religious actions (dāna/dedication), and recording omenography (chāyā-forms)—a blend of astronomy, ritual law, and divinatory symbolism.
Correct timing and appropriate dedication (especially offerings directed to Viṣṇu and/or the Pitṛs) are presented as aligning human action with cosmic order, mitigating inauspiciousness (“sadā duḥstha”) and supporting merit (puṇya) through disciplined ritual observance.