Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 15
Chapter 242 — पुरुषलक्षणं
Purusha-Lakshana): Marks of a Man (Physiognomy
द्रंष्ट्राश् चतस्रश् चन्द्राभाश् चतुःकृष्णं वदामि ते नेत्रतारौ भ्रुवौ श्मश्रुः कृष्णाः केशास्तथैव च
draṃṣṭrāś catasraś candrābhāś catuḥkṛṣṇaṃ vadāmi te netratārau bhruvau śmaśruḥ kṛṣṇāḥ keśāstathaiva ca
दंष्ट्राश्चतस्रः चन्द्राभाः; चतुः कृष्णं वदामि ते—नेत्रतारे, भ्रुवौ, श्मश्रुः, केशाश्चैव।
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Samanya","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Physiognomic/iconographic checklist of auspicious color-qualities: moon-bright tusks and black features (pupils, brows, facial hair, hair) for identifying ideal beings (often divine/royal/auspicious types).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Candra-abha danta and the four black features (kṛṣṇa-catuṣṭaya)","lookup_keywords":["candrabhā","damṣṭrā","kṛṣṇa-catuṣṭaya","netra-tārā","bhrū-keśa-श्मश्रु"],"quick_summary":"Enumerates a desirable contrast: bright, moon-like tusks/teeth and four black features—pupils, eyebrows, moustache/beard, and hair—used in lakṣaṇa and iconographic description."}
Alamkara Type: Rupaka
Concept: Lakshana works through observable qualities (varna, rekha, rupa) to encode auspiciousness and ideality.
Application: For artists: maintain high-contrast detailing (white teeth/tusks; black pupils/brows/hair) to achieve canonical recognizability and visual potency.
Khanda Section: Lakṣaṇa-śāstra (Physiognomy / Samudrika-vidyā)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shringara
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Close-up physiognomy depiction emphasizing moon-bright tusks/teeth and the four black features: pupils, eyebrows, moustache/beard, and hair, shown as an annotated study.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural close-up portrait, strong black linework for eyes and brows, deep black hair and facial hair, bright white teeth/tusks with subtle moonlike sheen, minimal background.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting portrait detail with gold highlights around the face, stark white teeth/tusks, jet-black pupils and brows, stylized black hair, ornate border and gilded accents.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional facial study with labeled features, delicate shading, emphasis on black pigments for pupils/brows/hair and luminous white for teeth/tusks, manuscript-style notes.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined portrait study with meticulous rendering of eyes and hair, luminous teeth/tusks, marginal annotations naming the four black features, soft color washes."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: draṃṣṭrāś catasraś candrābhāś → draṃṣṭrāḥ catasraḥ candra-ābhāḥ; keśāstathaiva ca → keśāḥ tathā eva ca; trikālajño '... pattern applied similarly: ' → vowel sandhi resolution.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 242 (Lakṣaṇa-śāstra / Samudrika-vidyā cluster)
FAQs
It imparts Lakṣaṇa-śāstra (Samudrika-vidyā): a technical listing of characteristic color-signs—moon-bright tusks and four black features (pupils, eyebrows, facial hair, and head hair)—used for traditional identification and description of bodily marks.
Beyond myths and worship, the Agni Purana catalogs applied knowledge-systems; here it preserves a compact physiognomic rule-set (lakṣaṇa taxonomy), demonstrating its encyclopedic reach into descriptive science, aesthetics, and traditional diagnostics of human/ideal traits.
In Puranic framing, recognizing auspicious and inauspicious marks supports dharmic discernment—choosing appropriate roles, alliances, and conduct—thereby aligning action (karma) with order (dharma) and reducing error born of misjudgment.