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The Agni Purana, (, ) is a Sanskrit text and one of the eighteen major of Hinduism. The text is variously classified as a Purana related to Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smarta Tradition, but also considered as a text that covers them all impartially without leaning towards a particular theology.
The text exists in numerous versions, some very different from others. The published manuscripts are divided into 382 or 383 chapters, containing between 12,000 and 15,000 verses. The chapters of the text were likely composed in different centuries, with earliest version probably after the 7th-century,Thomas Green (2001). Martial Arts of the World: An Encyclopedia, ABC-CLIO, , page 282Phillip B. Zarrilli. Paradigms of Practice and Power in a South Indian Martial Art. University of Wisconsin-Madison. but before the 11th century because the early 11th-century Persian scholar Al-Biruni acknowledged its existence in his memoir on India. The youngest layer of the text in the Agni Purana may be from the 17th century.
The Agni Purana is a medieval era encyclopedia that covers a diverse range of topics, and its "382 or 383 chapters actually deal with anything and everything", remark scholars such as Moriz Winternitz and Ludo Rocher. Its encyclopedic secular style led some 19th-century Indologists such as Horace Hayman Wilson to question if it even qualifies as what is assumed to be a Purana. The range of topics covered by this text include cosmology, mythology, genealogy, politics, education system, iconography, taxation theories, organization of army, theories on proper causes for war, martial arts, diplomacy, local laws, building public projects, water distribution methods, trees and plants, medicine, design and architecture, gemology, grammar, metrics, poetry, food and agriculture, rituals, geography and travel guide to Mithila (Bihar and neighboring states), cultural history, and numerous other topics.
The earliest core of the text is likely a post 7th-century composition, and a version existed by the 11th century. The chapters that discuss grammar and lexicography may be an addition in the 12th century, while the chapters on metrics likely predate 950 CE because Pingala-sutras text by the 10th-century scholar Halayudha cites this text. The section on poetics is likely a post-900 CE composition, while its summary on Tantra is likely to be a composition between 800 and 1100 CE.
The Agni Purana exists in many versions and it exemplifies the complex chronology of the Puranic genre of Indian literature that has survived into modern times. The number of chapters, number of verses and the specific content vary across Agni Purana manuscripts. Dimmitt and van Buitenen state that each of the Puranas is encyclopedic in style, and it is difficult to ascertain when, where, why and by whom these were written:
An English translation was published in two volumes by Manmatha Nath Dutt in 1903–04. There are several versions published by different companies.
History
Tradition has it that its title is named after Agni because it was originally recited by Agni to the sage Vasishta when the latter wanted to learn about the Brahman, and Vasishta later recited it to Vyasa – the sage who compiled all the Vedas, Puranas and many other historic texts. Vyasa recited it to Suta, who then recited to the rishis in Naimisharanya. The Skanda Purana and Matsya Purana assert that the Agni Purana describes Isana-kalpa as described by god Agni, but the surviving manuscripts make no mention of Isana-kalpa. Similarly, medieval Hindu texts cite verses that they claim are from Agni Purana, but these verses do not exist in current editions of the text. These inconsistencies, considered together, have led scholars such as Rajendra Hazra to conclude that the extant manuscripts are different from the text Skanda and Matsya Puranas are referring to.
Structure
The published manuscripts are divided into 382 or 383 chapters, and ranging between 12,000 and 15,000 verses. Many subjects it covers are in specific chapters, but states Rocher, these "succeed one another without the slightest connection or transition". In other cases, such as its discussion of iconography, the verses are found in many sections of the Agni Purana.
Editions and translations
The first printed edition of the text was edited by Rajendralal Mitra in the 1870s (Calcutta : Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1870–1879, 3 volumes; Bibliotheca Indica, 65, 1–3). The entire text extends to slightly below one million Grapheme.
Contents
The extant manuscripts are encyclopedic. The first chapter of the text declares its scope to be such. Some subjects covered by the text include:Shastri, P. (1995) Introduction to the Puranas, New Delhi: Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, pp.98–115
>+ Encyclopedic subjects in ''Agni Purana''
'''Subject''' '''Chapters''' '''Illustrative content''' '''Reference'''
>Book summary 21-70 Pingala]]s, [[Amarakosha]], etc. >Regional geography 114-116 Mithila (now [[Bihar]]), rivers, forests, towns, culture >Medicine 279-286, 370 [[Ayurveda]], herbs, nutrition
>Buddhist incantations 123-149 Summary of the Buddhist text ''[[Yuddhajayarnava]]'', mantras of [[Trailokyavijaya]]
>Politics 218-231 Structure of a state, education and duties of a king and key ministers,
organization of army, theory of just war, ambassadors to other kingdoms,
system of administration, civil and criminal law, taxation,
local administration and court system
>Agriculture, planning 239, 247, 282, 292 Fortification, trees and parks, water reservoirs MN Dutt, [http://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b4023049 Agni Purana Vol 2] , pages 853-858
>Martial arts, weapons 249-252 32 types of martial arts, making and maintaining weapons MN Dutt (1967), Agni Purana, Vol 1, , , pages 102-109
>Cow 310 Holiness of cow, breeding and taking care of cows MN Dutt, [http://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b4023049 Agni Purana Vol 2] , pages 1075-1081 (Note: Dutt's manuscript has 365 chapters, and is numbered differently)
>[[Hindu temple]], monastery 25, 39-45, 55-67, 99-101 Design, layout, construction, architecture
>Metrics, poetics, art of writing 328-347 Summary of different schools on poetics, music, art of poetry,
''Alamkara'', ''[[Chandas]]'', ''Rasa'', ''Riti'', language, rhetoric
>[[Yoga]], [[moksha]] 372-381 Eight limbs of yoga, ethics, meditation, [[samadhi]],
soul, non-dualism ([[Advaita]]), summary of [[Bhagavad Gita]]MN Dutt (1967), Agni Purana, , , pages 433-457MN Dutt, [http://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b4023049 Agni Purana Vol 2] , pages 1313-1338 (Note: Dutt's manuscript has 365 chapters, and is numbered differently)
See also
Bibliography
Rajendra Chandra Hazra (2025). 9788120804227, Motilal Banarsidass (1987 Reprint). . ISBN 9788120804227
External links
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