Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 56
Āgneya-Purāṇa-māhātmya
The Greatness and Self-Testimony of the Agni Purāṇa
गीतो भुवनकोषश् च द्वीपवर्षादिनिम्नगाः गयागङ्गाप्रयागादि तीर्थमाहात्म्यमीरितं
gīto bhuvanakoṣaś ca dvīpavarṣādinimnagāḥ gayāgaṅgāprayāgādi tīrthamāhātmyamīritaṃ
ได้พรรณนาภูวนโกศ (ภูมิศาสตร์จักรวาล), ทวีปและแคว้น, สายน้ำต่าง ๆ และสิ่งอื่น ๆ; อีกทั้งได้กล่าวถึงมหิมาแห่งสถานที่จาริกศักดิ์สิทธิ์ เช่น คยา คงคา และประยาคด้วย
Lord Agni (narrating to sage Vasiṣṭha, in the standard Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Cosmology","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Map sacred geography for pilgrimage planning: understand dvīpa–varṣa structure, river networks, and tirtha-māhātmya to guide vrata, śrāddha, and yātrā.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Bhuvanakośa and Tīrtha-māhātmya (Gayā–Gaṅgā–Prayāga)","lookup_keywords":["bhuvanakośa","dvīpa","varṣa","nadī","tīrtha-māhātmya"],"quick_summary":"Summarizes Purāṇic cosmography (continents, regions, rivers) and highlights the salvific greatness of major tīrthas such as Gayā, Gaṅgā, and Prayāga."}
Concept: Tīrtha-sevā and yātrā as dharmic means of purification and merit within a cosmographically ordered world.
Application: Undertake pilgrimage with prescribed rites (snāna, dāna, japa, śrāddha) at renowned tīrthas, aligning practice with calendrical and local rules.
Khanda Section: Tirtha-Mahatmya & Bhuvanakosha (Sacred Geography / Puranic Cosmography)
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A cosmographic map unfurls showing dvīpas and varṣas, with flowing rivers; highlighted vignettes of pilgrims at Gayā, bathing in Gaṅgā, and worship at Prayāga confluence.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, panoramic sacred geography: stylized concentric dvīpas, serpentine rivers; small narrative panels—Gayā śrāddha, Gaṅgā snāna, Prayāga saṅgama; rich reds/ochres, temple-mural linework.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central gold-embossed Gaṅgā personified with halo; side medallions for Gayā and Prayāga; ornate borders, jewel tones, devotional emphasis.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean cartographic-cosmographic layout with labeled rivers and regions; gentle pastel shading; small instructional scenes of pilgrimage rites at the three tīrthas.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed riverine landscape with pilgrims, boats, ghats; Prayāga confluence rendered with fine brushwork; inset cartouche of dvīpa map; delicate floral margins."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भुवनकोषश्→भुवनकोषः; tīrthamāhātmyamīritaṃ→तीर्थमाहात्म्यम् ईरितम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana bhuvanakośa/cosmography chapters; Agni Purana tīrtha-māhātmya passages; Agni Purana śrāddha and dāna sections
FAQs
It summarizes the teaching of sacred geography (bhuvanakośa) and tīrtha-māhātmya—knowledge of continents/regions, rivers, and the merit-producing power of pilgrimage sites like Gayā, Gaṅgā, and Prayāga.
By cataloging both cosmographic data (dvīpas, varṣas, rivers) and applied religious practice (tīrtha-māhātmya), it shows the text’s characteristic blend of descriptive ‘world knowledge’ with actionable dharma through pilgrimage.
It points to tīrthas as purifying loci where acts like bathing, offerings, and ancestral rites are believed to yield heightened religious merit (puṇya) and karmic purification, especially at renowned sites such as Gayā and Prayāga.