Agni Purana — Bhuvanakosha & Tirtha-mahatmya, Shloka 2
Chapter 114 — Gayā-māhātmya
The Greatness of Gayā
उक्तः क्षीराब्धिगो विष्णुः पालयास्मान् गयासुरात् तथेत्युक्त्वा हरिर्दैत्यं वरं ब्रूहीति चाब्रवीत्
uktaḥ kṣīrābdhigo viṣṇuḥ pālayāsmān gayāsurāt tathetyuktvā harirdaityaṃ varaṃ brūhīti cābravīt
เมื่อถูกทูลเช่นนั้น พระวิษณุผู้สถิตในเกษีรสมุทรถูกวิงวอนว่า “ขอทรงคุ้มครองพวกเราจากคยาสุระ” ครั้นตรัสว่า “เป็นเช่นนั้น” แล้ว พระหริจึงตรัสแก่ยักษ์อสูรนั้นว่า “จงกล่าวขอพรเถิด”
Primary narrator: Lord Agni (to Vasiṣṭha), recounting Viṣṇu’s response within the Gayāsura narrative
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Illustrates the divine-protection motif: devas seek refuge in Viṣṇu; also models the boon-granting protocol (vara-pradāna) that structures many purāṇic narratives and vrata-kathās.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Devas petition Viṣṇu (Kṣīrābdhi) for protection; Hari offers a boon to Gayāsura","lookup_keywords":["Kshirabdhi Vishnu","Hari","vara","Gayasura","deva-sharana"],"quick_summary":"When threatened by Gayāsura, the gods appeal to Viṣṇu in the Milk Ocean; Viṣṇu agrees to protect them and initiates the narrative turning-point by inviting the asura to request a boon."}
Alamkara Type: Samvāda (dialogic narration)
Concept: Śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge) and īśvara-anugraha; divine governance operates through boons and their ethical consequences.
Application: In crisis, adopt śaraṇāgati—prayer, humility, and dharmic alignment; understand that desires framed as ‘boons’ shape outcomes and must be sought with discernment.
Khanda Section: Tirtha-Mahatmya (Gaya-shraddha and Gayasura episode)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: Cosmic Ocean
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The gods approach Viṣṇu in the Ocean of Milk, petitioning for protection; Viṣṇu responds and turns toward Gayāsura, offering him a boon.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Viṣṇu as Kṣīrābdhi-nātha on Śeṣa amid stylized waves, devas with folded hands, conch and discus motifs, dramatic yet devotional palette, traditional ornamentation","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Viṣṇu reclining on Śeṣa with gold halo and rich jewelry, devas in attendance pleading, ocean rendered as patterned blue, heavy gold work and embossed details","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, narrative clarity: left—devas petition; center—Viṣṇu in milk ocean; right—Viṣṇu addressing Gayāsura ‘varaṃ brūhi’; fine lines, soft colors, readable gestures","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, elegant court-like assembly on a floating pavilion over the milk ocean, devas in varied attire, Viṣṇu central with serene expression, Gayāsura depicted respectfully at a distance, intricate wave patterns"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पालयास्मान् → पालय + अस्मान्; तथेत्युक्त्वा → तथा + इति + उक्त्वा; हरिर्दैत्यं → हरिः + दैत्यम्; ब्रूहीति → ब्रूहि + इति; चाब्रवीत् → च + अब्रवीत्
Related Themes: Agni Purana 114 (Gayā-māhātmya narrative: Viṣṇu’s intervention)
FAQs
It frames the Tīrtha-māhātmya context for Gaya: divine protection is invoked against Gayāsura, leading to the boon-granting episode that underpins the sanctity and ritual efficacy of Gaya-śrāddha.
Alongside manuals of rites and dharma, the Agni Purana preserves narrative etiologies (origin-stories) for major pilgrimage sites; this verse introduces the causal chain (protection → boon → sanctification) that explains why Gaya becomes central for śrāddha and ancestral rites.
Invoking Viṣṇu’s protection and the ensuing boon sets the karmic foundation for Gaya’s purificatory power—linking divine intervention with the later promise of merit and relief for ancestors through properly performed rites.