Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 7
Chapter 230: शकुनानि (Śakunāni) — Omens
दीप्तायान्दिशि दिग्दीप्तं शकुनं परिकीर्तितं ग्रामो ऽरण्या वने ग्राम्यास् तथा निन्दितपादपः
dīptāyāndiśi digdīptaṃ śakunaṃ parikīrtitaṃ grāmo 'raṇyā vane grāmyās tathā ninditapādapaḥ
经文宣说：鸟之征兆在某一方位炽然如火之时，若其显现为“方位燃耀”（似向该方发光燃炽），则尤为显著。又如：村落变若荒野、森林中反见村栖之鸟、以及出现被斥为不祥之树，皆为不吉之异象。
Lord Agni (in discourse to Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purana’s standard frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Jyotisha","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Reading nimitta (omens) from anomalous bird-behavior and ecological inversions to decide auspicious/inauspicious timing for travel, war, rites, or settlement decisions.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Shakuna-nimitta: dīptadig-śakuna and grāma–araṇya viparyaya (inauspicious inversions)","lookup_keywords":["śakuna","nimitta","dīptadig","grāma-araṇya-viparyaya","nindita-pādapa"],"quick_summary":"A bird-omen is especially weighty when it appears ‘direction-flaming’ in a blazing quarter; ecological inversions (village turning wilderness, village-birds in forest) and an inauspicious tree are treated as adverse portents."}
Concept: Viparyaya (inversion of natural order) is read as a sign of disorder and impending adversity; heightened phenomena (dīpti) intensify omen-significance.
Application: Treat sudden ecological reversals and ‘blazing-direction’ sightings as caution-signals; postpone ventures, intensify protective rites, and reassess local stability.
Khanda Section: Shakuna-shastra (Omens and Portents / Nimitta-vidya)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A landscape split between village and forest: a bird glowing against a blazing horizon in one direction; a village overgrown like wilderness; village birds appearing deep in the forest; a marked ‘censured’ tree standing ominously.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat yet vivid colors, a blazing quarter of the sky with a luminous bird flying toward it, stylized village turning into wild thicket, forest with domestic birds, an ominous tree with dark aura, traditional ornamental borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf highlights on the ‘blazing direction’ sky and the shining bird, richly patterned village huts overtaken by vines, symbolic inauspicious tree with embossed gold accents, devotional-like composition but focused on omen imagery.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, delicate linework and soft shading, diagrammatic split-scene showing grāma vs araṇya inversion, labeled directional blaze, a single highlighted bird as the key nimitta, calm instructional palette.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed naturalism: a glowing bird against a red-gold horizon, village lanes choked with weeds, forest clearing with domestic birds, a gnarled tree singled out, fine foliage detail and atmospheric perspective."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दीप्तायान्दिशि → दीप्तायाम् + दिशि; ग्रामो ऽरण्या → ग्रामः + अरण्या; दिग्दीप्तम् is a तत्पुरुष compound (दिक्+दीप्त).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 230 (Shakuna/Nimitta classifications)
FAQs
It gives nimitta-vidyā criteria for reading omens: unusual ‘blazing’ directional appearances of birds and abnormal habitat inversions (village becoming wilderness, village-birds in forests), plus the presence of an inauspiciously classified tree, are treated as significant (generally adverse) portents.
Beyond theology, it preserves applied prognostic lore (śakuna/nimitta-śāstra)—a practical branch used in travel, governance, and ritual decision-making—showing the text’s wide coverage of predictive sciences alongside rites, polity, and other disciplines.
Recognizing inauspicious anomalies is meant to prevent undertaking actions at adverse times; by heeding such signs and postponing or performing pacificatory measures, one avoids harm and mitigates negative outcomes attributed to unfavorable karmic conditions.