Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 14
Chapter 370: नरकनिरूपणम्
Naraka-nirūpaṇa) — Description of Hell (with the physiology of dying and the subtle transition
सप्तमस्य तलस्यान्ते घोरे तमसि संस्थिताः घोराख्या प्रथमाकोटिः सुघोरा तदधःस्थिता
saptamasya talasyānte ghore tamasi saṃsthitāḥ ghorākhyā prathamākoṭiḥ sughorā tadadhaḥsthitā
ఏడవ తలము చివర, ఘోరమైన తమస్సులో ‘ఘోరా’ అనే మొదటి కోటి స్థితమైయున్నది; దాని క్రింద ‘సుఘోరా’ అనే (కోటి) ఉన్నది।
Lord Agni (narrating to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Maps underworld stratification (tala system) and boundary regions (koṭi), useful for purāṇic cosmography, narrative visualization, and ritual imagination of lokas.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Seventh Tala terminus: Ghorā and Sughora boundaries in tamas","lookup_keywords":["saptama-tala","tamas","Ghorā","Sughora","underworld boundary"],"quick_summary":"At the end of the seventh tala, in dense darkness, lies a boundary called Ghorā; beneath it is another called Sughora—marking graded zones of the netherworld."}
Concept: Ordered cosmic geography with graded regions; darkness (tamas) as a cosmological quality marking lower realms.
Application: Aids contemplation/visualization in purāṇic study and supports narrative coherence of naraka placement beneath tala layers.
Khanda Section: Cosmology & Naraka (Netherworlds/Underworld Geography)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Underworld/Patala tier
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A vertical cosmological section: descending through talas to the seventh, ending in pitch-black tamas where two boundary zones are labeled—Ghorā above, Sughora below.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural; stacked horizontal bands for talas; lowest band nearly black with subtle red glow; inscriptions ‘Ghorā’ and ‘Sughora’ on threshold-like arches; minimal figures, emphasis on atmosphere and depth.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore; stylized cosmological pillar with tiered bands; gold-outlined labels; bottom rendered in dark lacquer tones; ornate borders framing the two koṭis as gateways.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore; clear diagrammatic underworld map with seven tiers; at the base, two successive gates marked Ghorā and Sughora; fine lines, educational layout.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature; architectural cutaway like a subterranean fortress with descending stairways; two successive gates in darkness labeled; subtle chiaroscuro and smoky gradients."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"mysterious","suggested_raga":"Malkauns","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तलस्य + अन्ते → तलस्यान्ते; घोराख्याः = घोर-आख्याः; प्रथमाकोटिः = प्रथमा-कोटिः; तदधःस्थिता = तत् + अधःस्थिता (तद् as upapada + avyayībhāva)
Related Themes: Agni Purana cosmology passages describing talas/pātālas and subsequent naraka placements
FAQs
Cosmographic knowledge: it maps the underworld (Tala) by naming specific demarcated zones (koṭi) within the region of tamas, useful for Purāṇic cosmology and eschatological descriptions.
It exemplifies the text’s cataloguing impulse by systematically enumerating realms, sub-realms, and named boundaries—one of the Agni Purana’s broad knowledge domains alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and arts.
By depicting graded regions of dreadful darkness beneath the talas, it reinforces the Purāṇic moral universe where ignorance and heavy tamas are associated with lower, fearsome realms—encouraging dharma and sattva-oriented conduct.