Agnipurana 49
English (machine translation) 49
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Contents
49.1
The Blessed Lord said:
I shall tell you the characteristics of the ten incarnations, beginning with Matsya:
Matsya should have the form of a fish, and Kūrma should have the form of a tortoise.
49.1.p1
[...]
49.1.p2
[Footnote 1: The reading in the two manuscripts marked ga and ṅa is 'śaṅkhapadmī'.] / [Page 138]
49.2
Or Bhūvarāha should be made with a human body, bearing a mace and other attributes:
in the right [hand], and in the left hand a conch, or Lakṣmī, or a lotus.
49.3
Śrī rests on his left elbow, and Earth and Ananta accompany his feet.
From establishing Varāha, one attains kingship and crossing over the ocean of worldly existence.
49.4
Narasiṃha has a wide-open mouth, tearing apart the demon on his left thigh,
ripping open his chest, wearing a garland, and bearing a radiant discus and mace.
49.5
Vāmana should hold an umbrella and staff, or he may have four arms.
Rāma should have bow and arrow in hand, holding a sword and accompanied by an axe.
49.6
Or Rāma is traditionally known with two arms, holding a bow, arrow, sword, or conch;
or Rāma has four arms, bearing a mace and a plough.
49.7
One should place a plough in his upper left [hand], and a beautiful conch below;
a pestle in the upper right [hand], and a beautiful discus below.
49.8
Buddha has a peaceful mind, long ears, fair limbs, and is draped in garments;
seated on an upright lotus, he grants boons and fearlessness.
49.9
Kalki is a twice-born holding a bow and quiver, destroying the barbarians;
or he is mounted on a horse, bearing a sword, conch, discus, and arrows.
49.10
I shall tell you the characteristics of the nine [deities] beginning with Vāsudeva:
In the upper right [hand] is a mace; in the left, in the upper left [hand], an excellent discus.
49.11
Brahmā and Śiva are constantly at his sides; Vāsudeva is as described before,
holding a conch, granting boons, with either two arms or four arms.
49.12
Rāma is remembered holding a plough, pestle, mace, and lotus.
49.12.p1
[...]
49.12.p2
[Footnote 1: The reading in the manuscript marked ṅa is 'vāmoruhṛtadānavaḥ'.]
49.12.p3
[Footnote 2: The reading in the two manuscripts marked kha and ga is 'gaurāṅgaścāyudhāvṛtaḥ'.]
49.12.p4
[Footnote 3: The reading in the manuscript marked ṅa is 'dhanurvāṇānvitaḥ'.] / [Page 139]
49.12_2
Pradyumna holds a thunderbolt in his right hand, and a conch and bow in his left hand.
49.13
Or Pradyumna holds a mace and lotus, accompanied by Rati, bearing bow and arrow.
Aniruddha should be four-armed, and likewise the all-pervading Nārāyaṇa.
49.14
Brahmā has four faces, four arms, a large belly,
a long beard, matted hair, and a swan-fronted vehicle.
49.15
In the right [hands] are a rosary and sacrificial ladle, and in the left a water-pot
and ghee-pot; Sarasvatī and Sāvitrī are on his left and right.
49.16
Viṣṇu has eight arms, mounted on Garuḍa; in the right hands are a sword,
mace, arrow, and boon-granting gesture; in the left are a bow and shield,
49.17
a discus, and a conch. Narasiṃha is four-armed,
or holding a conch and discus, having torn open the great demon.
49.18
Varāha has four arms, with Śeṣa held beneath his feet;
supporting the Earth with one arm, he holds a lotus with his left.
49.19
Earth should be made clinging to his foot, while Lakṣmī is stationed at his foot.
Trailokyamohana is mounted on Garuḍa, with eight arms; in the right:
49.20
a discus, sword, pestle, and goad; in the left hand:
a conch, bow, mace, and noose, accompanied by a lotus and lute.
49.21
Lakṣmī and Sarasvatī should be depicted. Now Viśvarūpa, on the right:
a club, noose, spear, trident, and arrow in hand;
49.22
on the left, a conch, bow, mace, noose, and javelin;
49.22.p1
[...]
49.22.p2
[Footnote 1: The reading in the manuscript marked ṅa is 'dakṣiṇe cakram'.]
49.22.p3
[Footnote 2: The reading in the manuscript marked ṅa is 'gadī ratyāvṛtaḥ'.]
49.22.p4
[Footnote 3: The reading in the manuscript marked ṅa is 'lambabhruvaḥ'.]
49.22.p5
[Footnote 4: The reading in the manuscript marked ṅa is 'dhārayannākulāṃ pṛthvīṃ vāmena kamalāmadhaḥ'.] / [Page 140]
49.22_2
a plough, axe, staff, dagger, and a shield-thrower.
49.23
He has twenty arms and four faces, standing on the right or on the left;
or Jalaśāyin [Viṣṇu], three-eyed, reclining on his left side,
49.24
one foot held by Śrī, praised by Vimalā and others,
four-faced Brahmā in his navel-lotus, Hari as Hariśaṅkara.
49.25
Holding a trident and a spear on the right side, and bearing a mace and discus at his foot, / having the bodily characteristics of Rudra and Keśava, accompanied by Gaurī and Lakṣmī.
49.26
Hari with the head of a horse has a conch, discus, mace, and the Vedas in his hands; / his left foot rests on Śeṣa, and the right rests on the back of a tortoise.
49.27
Dattātreya should have two arms, with Śrī on his left lap. / Viśvaksena, an attendant of Hari, holds a discus, mace, ploughshare, and conch.
49.27.p1
Thus ends the forty-ninth chapter, entitled “The Characteristics of Images,” in the venerable Agni Mahāpurāṇa.
49.27.p3
Now, the fiftieth chapter.
49.27.p4
The description of the characteristics of the images of the goddesses.
Other recensions (1)
- Agnipurāṇa (Nag Publishers edition, Delhi) — Sanskrit
Linked texts (1)
- Agnipurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit