Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 1
Somavaṁśa-varṇanam
Description of the Lunar Dynasty
इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे सुर्यवंशकीर्तनं नाम द्विसप्तत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः सकर्माभूदिति ख , छ , च अथ त्रिसप्तत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः सोमवंशवर्णनं अग्निर् उवाच सोमवंशं प्रवक्ष्यामि पठितं पापनाशनम् विष्णुनाभ्यब्जजो ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मपुत्रो ऽत्रिरत्रितः नीलाञ्जको रधुः क्रोष्टुः शतजिच्च सहस्रजित्
ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe suryavaṃśakīrtanaṃ nāma dvisaptatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ sakarmābhūditi kha , cha , ca atha trisaptatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ somavaṃśavarṇanaṃ agnir uvāca somavaṃśaṃ pravakṣyāmi paṭhitaṃ pāpanāśanam viṣṇunābhyabjajo brahmā brahmaputro 'triratritaḥ nīlāñjako radhuḥ kroṣṭuḥ śatajicca sahasrajit
இவ்வாறு ஸ்ரீ அக்னி மகாபுராணத்தில் ‘சூரியவம்சக் கீர்த்தனம்’ எனும் 272ஆம் அதிகாரம் (சில பாடங்களில் ‘சகர்மாபூத்’ எனும் வேறுபாடு) நிறைவுற்றது. இப்போது 273ஆம் அதிகாரம் ‘சோமவம்ச வர்ணனம்’ தொடங்குகிறது. அக்னி கூறினார்—சோமவம்சத்தை நான் விளக்குகிறேன்; இதன் பாராயணம் பாபநாசனம். விஷ்ணுவின் நாபிக் கமலத்திலிருந்து பிரம்மா தோன்றினார்; அவருடைய புதல்வன் அத்திரி (அத்திரித). அவரிடமிருந்து நீலாஞ்ஜக, ரது, க்ரோஷ்டு, சதஜித், ஸஹஸ்ரஜித் தோன்றினர்.
Lord Agni
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Cosmology","practical_application":"Genealogical recitation (vamsha-anukirtana) for smriti, ritual narration, and framing dharmic kingship lineages; used in pravachana and in situating later narratives.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Somavamsha—Origin from Vishnu–Brahma–Atri and early descendants","lookup_keywords":["Somavamsha","Atri","Vishnu-nabhi-padma","Brahma-putra","Kroshtu"],"quick_summary":"Introduces the Lunar Dynasty as a sin-destroying recitation and lists its cosmogonic origin (Viṣṇu→Brahmā→Atri) with early descendants, establishing the narrative scaffold for later royal lineages."}
Alamkara Type: Anuprasa (light alliteration) / Itivritta-style enumeration
Concept: Śravaṇa–pāṭha of purāṇic vamśa as pāpa-nāśana (sin-destroying) and as a dharmic memory of cosmic-human continuity.
Application: Use as a recitation segment in purāṇa-pāraṇa, śrāddha/vaṃśa-smaraṇa contexts, and teaching kingship legitimacy through sacred descent.
Khanda Section: Vamsha-anukirtana (Genealogies: Suryavamsha & Somavamsha)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Agni as narrator proclaiming the Lunar Dynasty; a cosmic tableau of Viṣṇu reclining with a lotus from his navel bearing Brahmā, with sages/ancestors (Atri and early descendants) arranged as a lineage procession.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural, deep mineral colors, Viṣṇu in Anantaśayana with nābhi-padma and Brahmā seated, Agni rishi narrating at side, lineage sages in registers, ornate floral borders, traditional stylization","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold leaf, central Viṣṇu reclining on Śeṣa, raised lotus with Brahmā, embossed jewelry, Agni as seated sage with palm-leaf manuscript, small medallions naming Atri and descendants","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, delicate linework and soft shading, instructional genealogy scroll layout: Viṣṇu→Brahmā→Atri branching to Nīlāñjaka/Radhu/Kroṣṭu/Śatajit/Sahasrajit, with subtle halos and captions","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, fine detailing, cosmic ocean scene with Viṣṇu on serpent couch, lotus and Brahmā, courtly-style genealogical figures in a neat row with calligraphic labels, balanced composition"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Resolved: ity→iti; mahāpurāṇe (mahā+purāṇe); dvisaptatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ→...tamaḥ adhyāyaḥ; sakarmābhūt→sa-karmā abhūt; trisaptatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ→...tamaḥ adhyāyaḥ; agnir uvāca→agniḥ uvāca; brahmaputro 'triḥ→brahma-putraḥ atriḥ; 'triratritaḥ interpreted as atriḥ atritaḥ (genealogical ‘from Atri’); śatajicca→śatajīt ca.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Suryavamsha-kirtana (preceding chapter); Agni Purana: subsequent Somavamsha expansion (later verses/chapters in the same khanda)
FAQs
It teaches the purāṇic practice of śravaṇa/pāṭha (hearing/recitation) of dynastic genealogies as a meritorious act, explicitly stating that reciting the Somavaṃśa account is pāpa-nāśana (sin-destroying).
By cataloging cosmological origins (Viṣṇu → navel-lotus → Brahmā) and royal-sage lineages (Brahmā → Atri → descendants), it functions as an archival index of mytho-historical data—one of the Agni Purāṇa’s core encyclopedic modes alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and arts.
The verse assigns karmic efficacy to textual engagement: recitation of the Lunar Dynasty narrative is presented as a purifier that destroys accumulated pāpa, reinforcing purāṇic pāṭha as a sādhanā (devotional discipline).