Agni Purana — Bhuvanakosha & Tirtha-mahatmya, Shloka 6
Adhyaya 120 — भुवनकोषः
Bhuvanakośa: Cosmic Geography and Cosmological Measures
भूमेर्योजनलक्षन्तु विशिष्ठरविमण्डलं रवेर् लक्षेण चन्द्रश् च लक्षान्नाक्षत्रमिन्दुतः
bhūmeryojanalakṣantu viśiṣṭharavimaṇḍalaṃ raver lakṣeṇa candraś ca lakṣānnākṣatramindutaḥ
กล่าวกันว่าเมื่อเทียบกับโลกแล้ว จานสุริยะมีขนาดหนึ่งแสนโยชน์. เมื่อเทียบกับสุริยะแล้ว จันทร์มีหนึ่งแสน (โยชน์) และจากจันทร์ไปยังวงนักษัตร (นักษัตรมณฑล) ก็หนึ่งแสน (โยชน์) เช่นกัน
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha, in the standard Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Jyotisha","secondary_vidya":"Cosmology","practical_application":"Provides Purāṇic astronomical distances (yojana measures) used for cosmographic mapping and traditional explanatory models of graha–nakṣatra spacing.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Yojana measures: Earth–Sun–Moon–Nakṣatra circle","lookup_keywords":["yojana","ravi-maṇḍala","candra","nakṣatra-maṇḍala","cosmic distance"],"quick_summary":"The verse states a stepwise scale of 100,000 yojanas between Earth and the Sun’s disk, Sun and Moon, and Moon and the nakṣatra circle—forming a basic Purāṇic distance ladder."}
Concept: The cosmos is intelligible through māna (measure) and ordered spheres; knowledge of celestial structure is a legitimate auxiliary science.
Application: Use as a mnemonic scaffold for teaching traditional cosmography and for aligning ritual imagination (saṅkalpa) with a structured universe.
Khanda Section: Jyotiṣa & Paurāṇic Cosmography (Graha–Nakṣatra–Māna)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Type: Cosmic-Region
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A schematic celestial diagram: Earth at center, then Sun’s disk, then Moon, then the ring of nakṣatras—each separated by labeled 100,000-yojana intervals.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural cosmogram, concentric circles with Earth, Sun, Moon, and nakṣatra ring, traditional decorative motifs for stars, deep blues and reds, temple-mural geometry","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting as a sacred cosmological mandala, concentric gilded rings for Sun and nakṣatras, jewel-like highlights, central Earth medallion, symmetrical layout","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style instructional chart, clean concentric circles, fine inscriptions implied, Sun and Moon rendered iconically, nakṣatra ring as star band, soft palette and precise lines","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature scientific-illustration feel, delicate concentric spheres, tiny star points, subtle shading, annotated spacing implied, refined borders"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: bhūmeḥ yojana-lakṣam tu → bhūmeryojanalakṣantu; raviḥ lakṣeṇa → raver lakṣeṇa; lakṣāt nakṣatram → lakṣānnākṣatram; indu-taḥ → indutaḥ; candraḥ ca → candraś ca
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Graha–nakṣatra descriptions and māna sections in cosmography
FAQs
It gives jyotiṣa-style cosmographic metrics (yojana-based measures) linking Earth → Sun → Moon → nakṣatra-circle, used for traditional models of celestial scale.
Beyond ritual and dharma, the Agni Purāṇa also preserves technical knowledge like astronomy/cosmography, presenting quantified descriptions of celestial bodies alongside other sciences.
By situating grahas and nakṣatras within a sacred cosmic order, it supports dhārmic time-reckoning (tithi, nakṣatra, muhūrta) used for vows, rites, and auspicious observances.