Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 5
Chapter 150 — Manvantarāṇi (The Manvantaras) and the Purāṇic Map of Vedic Transmission
स्वरूपाद्याः सुरगणाः शिखिरिन्द्रः सुरेश्वरः ज्योतिर्धामादयो विप्रा नव ख्यातिमुखाः सुताः
svarūpādyāḥ suragaṇāḥ śikhirindraḥ sureśvaraḥ jyotirdhāmādayo viprā nava khyātimukhāḥ sutāḥ
స్వరూప మొదలైన సురగణాలు ఈ విధంగా పేరుపొందినవి; వాటిలో శిఖిరింద్రుడు మరియు సురేశ్వరుడూ ఉన్నారు; జ్యోతిర్ధామ మొదలైన విప్ర ఋషులు; ఖ్యాతి ప్రధానంగా తొమ్మిది పుత్రులు.
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s standard dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Reference list for deva-gaṇa nomenclature and rishi/son enumerations; useful for puranic concordance building and for identifying variant names across recensions.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Deva-gaṇa and rishi/son enumeration: Svarūpa-gaṇa, Śikhirindra/Sureśvara, Jyotirdhāman sages, nine sons led by Khyāti","lookup_keywords":["Svarūpa","Śikhirindra","Sureśvara","Jyotirdhāman","Khyāti","navasuta"],"quick_summary":"Lists a deva-host beginning with Svarūpa, includes Śikhirindra and Sureśvara, and notes a brahmin-sage line beginning with Jyotirdhāman with nine sons headed by Khyāti."}
Concept: Cosmic taxonomy through gaṇa (collective classes) and suta (descendant) enumeration.
Application: Supports compilation of puranic ‘who’s who’ indices; clarifies that some names function as group-heads (‘-ādyāḥ’) rather than single entities.
Khanda Section: Vamsha-Anukramanika (Genealogies and Enumerations of Divine Lineages)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A catalog scene showing a deva-gaṇa led by Svarūpa, with notable figures Śikhirindra and Sureśvara highlighted; alongside, a rishi figure Jyotirdhāman with nine sons, Khyāti foremost, arranged as a counted set.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, two-panel composition: left deva-gaṇa led by Svarūpa with Śikhirindra and Sureśvara marked by distinctive crowns; right Jyotirdhāman as sage with nine sons in a row, Khyāti at front, bold outlines and decorative borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, symmetrical grouping with gold halos: Svarūpa-gaṇa on one side, Śikhirindra and Sureśvara emphasized; Jyotirdhāman with nine sons on the other, Khyāti prominent, rich gold embossing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, instructional count-based layout: nine sons clearly separated with subtle numbering motifs, Khyāti highlighted; deva-gaṇa cluster labeled Svarūpa, Śikhirindra, Sureśvara; clean background","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, manuscript folio with two registers, deva assembly above, rishi family below, fine facial detailing, patterned textiles, marginal labels for names"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: śikhirindraḥ = śikhiri-indraḥ; sureśvaraḥ = sura-īśvaraḥ; jyotirdhāmādayo = jyotirdhāmādayaḥ (visarga/lopa in saṃhitā).
Related Themes: Agni Purana gaṇa-nāma and vaṃśa lists in the same manvantara-chronology cluster
FAQs
It provides an anukramaṇikā-style catalogue: the named deva-groups and a set of nine Brahmin sons headed by Khyāti—useful as a reference framework for identifying lineages and associated ritual or narrative contexts.
By preserving compact, index-like enumerations of divine and sage names, it functions as a cross-referencing tool—one of the Agni Purāṇa’s hallmark encyclopedic methods for organizing vast mythic, ritual, and dharmic material.
Remembering and reciting sanctioned lineages and divine hosts is traditionally viewed as purifying and merit-bearing (smṛti/śravaṇa-phala), strengthening continuity with sacred transmission and its dharmic authority.