Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 66
Abhiṣeka-mantrāḥ
Consecration Mantras
गङ्गाद्वारकुशावर्तौ विन्ध्यको नीलपर्वतः वराहपर्वतश् चैव तीर्थङ्कणखलं तथा
gaṅgādvārakuśāvartau vindhyako nīlaparvataḥ varāhaparvataś caiva tīrthaṅkaṇakhalaṃ tathā
गङ्गाद्वारं कुशावर्तं विन्ध्यः नीलपर्वतः। वराहपर्वतश्चैव तीर्थं कणखलं तथा॥ एते पुण्यतीर्थविशेषाः प्रकीर्तिताः।
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Tirtha-yatra planning and nadi-parvata-smarana for punya (merit) accumulation; mapping sacred sites for pilgrimage itineraries.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Tirtha-nama-sangraha (Gangadvara–Kanakhala and sacred mountains)","lookup_keywords":["Gangadvara","Kushavarta","Vindhya","Nilaparvata","Kanakhala"],"quick_summary":"This verse enumerates major tīrthas and sacred mountains; remembering or visiting them is taught as a dharmic means to accrue merit and purify oneself."}
Concept: Tīrtha-smaraṇa and tīrtha-sevā as means of pāpa-kṣaya and puṇya-sañcaya.
Application: Undertake snāna, dāna, japa, and śrāddha at these sites; or recite their names with sankalpa when travel is not possible.
Khanda Section: Tirtha-Mahatmya (Sacred Geography and Pilgrimage Merit)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A map-like sacred panorama: Gaṅgā emerging at Gangādvāra with pilgrims bathing; nearby Kaṇakhala ghats; distant Vindhya and other named mountains marked as holy peaks.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, flat vibrant colors, sacred landscape of Gangadvara with Gaṅgā flowing, pilgrims at ghats, stylized Vindhya and Nilaparvata peaks, temple flags, traditional ornamented figures, serene devotional ambience","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf highlights on river ghats and temple arches at Gangadvara/Kanakhala, stylized mountains labeled Vindhya and Varaha, richly dressed pilgrims offering arghya, luminous sacred river","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, delicate linework, instructional sacred-geography tableau with labeled tīrthas (Gangadvara, Kushavarta, Kanakhala) and mountains in the background, calm palette, emphasis on clarity and annotation","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed riverfront scene at Gangadvara with bathers and ascetics, distant Vindhya range, fine architectural ghats, naturalistic water and rocks, calligraphic labels for tīrtha names"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गङ्गाद्वारकुशावर्तौ = गङ्गाद्वार + कुशावर्तौ; वराहपर्वतश् चैव = वराहपर्वतः + च + एव; तीर्थङ्कणखलं = तीर्थ + कणखलम् (अनुस्वार-परिवर्तन).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 219 (Tirtha-mahatmya section; adjacent tirtha lists)
FAQs
This verse transmits Tīrtha-vidyā: the identification and authoritative naming of specific pilgrimage locations (tīrthas and sacred mountains) recognized as purifying and merit-bestowing.
By cataloguing geographically diverse tīrthas (river-fords, towns, and mountains), it functions like a sacred gazetteer—preserving place-names, regional sanctity, and pilgrimage networks as part of the Purana’s broad compendium of religious culture.
Remembering and visiting such tīrthas is traditionally held to remove impurities (pāpa-kṣaya) and generate religious merit (puṇya), supporting purification, vows, and liberation-oriented practice.