Agni Purana — Bhuvanakosha & Tirtha-mahatmya, Shloka 37
Adhyaya 120 — भुवनकोषः
Bhuvanakośa: Cosmic Geography and Cosmological Measures
शुक्रस्यापि रथो ऽष्टाश्वो भौमस्यापि रथस् तथा वृहस्पते रथो ऽष्टाश्वः शनेरष्टाश्वको रथः
śukrasyāpi ratho 'ṣṭāśvo bhaumasyāpi rathas tathā vṛhaspate ratho 'ṣṭāśvaḥ śaneraṣṭāśvako rathaḥ
ราชรถของพระศุกร์ก็เทียมม้าแปดตัว; ของพระภौมะ (อังคาร) ก็เช่นกัน. ราชรถของพระพฤหัสบดีเทียมม้าแปดตัว และราชรถของพระเสาร์ก็เทียมม้าแปดตัวเช่นกัน.
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha, in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue style)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Jyotisha","secondary_vidya":"Cosmology","practical_application":"Standardized graha-vehicle attributes for navagraha visualization, temple icon programs, and astrological teaching mnemonics.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Aṣṭāśva rathas of Śukra, Bhauma, Bṛhaspati, and Śani","lookup_keywords":["Śukra ratha","Bhauma ratha","Bṛhaspati ratha","Śani ratha","aṣṭāśva"],"quick_summary":"The verse lists that Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn each have a chariot drawn by eight horses—creating a uniform mnemonic across multiple grahas."}
Concept: Regularity and patterning in cosmic description aids retention and ritual visualization.
Application: Employ the repeated ‘eight-horse chariot’ motif as a memory scaffold while learning graha identities and their ritual placements.
Khanda Section: Jyotisha (Graha-lakshana and planetary chariots)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Cosmic realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Four planetary deities—Śukra, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn—each in their own chariot, each pulled by eight horses, arranged as a comparative panel.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, four-register composition, each graha on a ratha with eight horses, distinct color fields (white/red/yellow/indigo), bold outlines, temple-mural symmetry.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, quartet navagraha panel with gold-leaf halos and chariot ornaments, eight horses per deity clearly shown, rich lacquered colors, embossed detailing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, didactic comparative chart-like painting, each graha labeled, eight horses counted, refined linework and soft shading, emphasis on clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, four celestial chariots in a landscaped sky with clouds, meticulous horse rendering, differentiated costumes and hues, elegant borders."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bilawal","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शुक्रस्यापि = शुक्रस्य + अपि; रथो ऽष्टाश्वो = रथः + अष्टाश्वः (अः + अ → ओऽ); भौमस्यापि = भौमस्य + अपि; शनेरष्टाश्वको = शनेः + अष्टाश्वकः (अः + अ → एर).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 120 (continuation of graha-ratha descriptions)
FAQs
It gives a Jyotiṣa/cosmological specification: the chariots of Śukra, Bhāuma, Bṛhaspati, and Śani are described as eight-horsed—useful as a canonical detail in graha-lakṣaṇa and traditional planetary iconography.
Alongside dharma, ritual, and other sciences, the Agni Purana preserves technical cosmography—cataloging grahas with standardized attributes (like chariots and horse-count), a hallmark of its compendium-style coverage.
Remembering and correctly visualizing graha-forms (including their rathas) supports traditional graha-upāsanā and ritual focus; such ordered cosmological knowledge is treated as conducive to clarity, discipline, and auspicious observance.