Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 8
Chapter 367 — नित्यनैमीत्तिकप्राकृतप्रलयाः
The Nitya, Naimittika, and Prākṛta Dissolutions
शेषाहिश्वाससम्पातात् पातालानि दहत्यधः पातालेभ्यो भुवं विष्णुर्भुवः स्वर्गं दहत्यतः
śeṣāhiśvāsasampātāt pātālāni dahatyadhaḥ pātālebhyo bhuvaṃ viṣṇurbhuvaḥ svargaṃ dahatyataḥ
ด้วยแรงกระแทกอันรุนแรงแห่งลมหายใจของเศษะ นครบาดาลเบื้องล่างถูกเผาไหม้; จากบาดาลขึ้นมา วิษณุเผาแผ่นดิน และจากแผ่นดินขึ้นไปก็เผาสวรรค์
Lord Agni (narrating puranic cosmology to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Maps the sequence of destruction across cosmic strata (pātāla → earth → heaven) via agents (Śeṣa-breath, Viṣṇu as burner), useful for Purāṇic cosmography teaching and meditation on cosmic hierarchy.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Sequential burning of lokas by Śeṣa-breath and Viṣṇu","lookup_keywords":["śeṣa-niśvāsa","pātāla-dahana","viṣṇu-dahana","loka-krama","pralaya"],"quick_summary":"The netherworlds are scorched by the rush of Śeṣa’s breaths; thereafter Viṣṇu burns earth and then heaven. The verse presents a stepwise pralaya mechanism across cosmic levels."}
Concept: Cosmic functions are distributed: supporting principle (Śeṣa) also participates in dissolution; Viṣṇu encompasses preservation and destruction as līlā of the Absolute.
Application: Non-dual reflection on divine agency: the same cosmic order that sustains also withdraws; fosters equanimity toward change.
Khanda Section: Cosmology & Pralaya (Puranic cosmography; destruction of the worlds)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Below, Śeṣa exhales a violent stream that ignites the netherworlds; above, Viṣṇu’s radiance spreads from earth to heaven, showing a vertical cosmological cross-section.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, vertical universe bands: pātālas at bottom in dark tones catching fire from Śeṣa’s breath, Viṣṇu above with luminous aura burning upward, stylized serpent coils, strong reds and blacks, sacred diagrammatic clarity","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ornate Viṣṇu with gold halo at center, below Ananta-Śeṣa exhaling flame-wind into pātāla, gold embossing for fire streams, tiered loka bands with jewel-like colors","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style didactic cosmography: labeled strata (pātāla, bhū, svarga), arrows showing burning sequence, Śeṣa at base, Viṣṇu at mid-upper, fine linework and soft washes","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature cross-section of the cosmos, detailed architecture-like strata, serpent at bottom emitting gusts, Viṣṇu’s light as gilded gradient rising to heaven, meticulous detailing and marginal annotations"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: śeṣāhiśvāsasampātāt treated as tatpuruṣa compound; dahatyadhaḥ → dahati adhaḥ; viṣṇurbhuvaḥ → viṣṇuḥ bhuvaḥ; dahatyataḥ → dahati ataḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana sections describing Śeṣa/Ananta and the pātāla system; Agni Purana pralaya narrative contiguous to 367.7–367.10
FAQs
It imparts cosmological knowledge (pralaya-krama): a mapped sequence of destruction across realms—Pātāla, Earth (Bhū), and Heaven (Svarga)—attributed to the cosmic functions of Śeṣa and Viṣṇu.
It exemplifies the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic scope by detailing Puranic cosmography and eschatology—how multiple lokas are structured and how dissolution proceeds through them—alongside its many other disciplines.
It underscores impermanence (anityatā) of all worlds, directing the listener toward detachment and devotion; even heavenly attainments are transient under pralaya, so liberation-oriented dharma is implied as the higher goal.