Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 52
Raṇadīkṣā (War-Consecration) — Agni Purāṇa Adhyāya 235
जित्वारीन् भोगसम्प्राप्तिः मृतस्य च परा गतिः निष्कृतिः स्वामिपिण्डस्य नास्ति युद्धसमा गतिः
jitvārīn bhogasamprāptiḥ mṛtasya ca parā gatiḥ niṣkṛtiḥ svāmipiṇḍasya nāsti yuddhasamā gatiḥ
بِقَهْرِ الأعداء تُنالُ المتعُ؛ وأمّا من يموتُ (في القتال) فله المصيرُ الأعلى. وهو كفّارةٌ عن القوتِ الذي ناله من سيّده؛ ولا سبيلَ (للتحصيل) يُعادِلُ سَبيلَ الحرب.
Lord Agni (in instruction to Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purana’s didactic narration)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","practical_application":"Framing war-duty as both worldly gain (victory rewards) and spiritual accounting (heroic death, expiation of patron’s sustenance) to reinforce loyalty and discourage desertion.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Yuddha as expiation (svāmipiṇḍa-niṣkṛti) and supreme path for kṣatriya","lookup_keywords":["svāmipiṇḍa-niṣkṛti","yuddha-samā-gati","para-gati","bhoga-samprāpti","kṣatriya-dharma"],"quick_summary":"Victory yields enjoyments; death in battle yields the highest destiny. Fighting is presented as expiation for the lord’s sustenance and as an unequaled course for a warrior."}
Alamkara Type: Vyatireka (no path equals warfare)
Concept: Ṛṇa-like obligation: receiving the lord’s ‘piṇḍa’ (sustenance) creates a duty discharged through righteous service; for kṣatriya, battle is a privileged dharma-path.
Application: Codify military service ethics: patronage implies responsibility; leaders should ensure support is matched by clear dharmic expectations.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Dhanurveda (Warfare ethics and the merit of heroic death)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Two contrasted outcomes in one frame: on the left, victorious warriors receiving garlands, gold, and feasting; on the right, a fallen hero ascending a luminous path; below, a symbolic ‘food-debt’ motif—offered rice from the lord transforming into a shield of expiation.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural split-panel: victory celebration with drums and garlands; fallen hero carried with honor, soul rising toward a radiant gate; stylized rice-offering near the king indicating svāmipiṇḍa and its purification through battle.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: ornate victory scene with gold highlights on rewards; upper celestial register with gold haloed ascent of the fallen; king’s offering bowl embossed in gold as the ‘piṇḍa’ symbol.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: didactic triptych—(1) victory rewards, (2) heroic death and ascent, (3) king’s sustenance-debt icon; clear labels and calm palette for instructional emphasis.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: camp after battle—distribution of rewards; separate vignette with a fallen warrior and an allegorical cloud-band ascent; fine detailing of textiles and armor, restrained symbolism for ‘debt’."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: jitvā + arīn → jitvārīn; samprāptiḥ (spelling in text: samprāptiḥ); na + asti → nāsti.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 235 (war merit/demerit; retreat and steadfastness)
FAQs
It teaches yuddha-dharma as practical statecraft: victory yields worldly rewards, and death in rightful battle is praised as granting a superior post-mortem destiny, framing warfare as a sanctioned duty of the king’s servant.
It exemplifies the text’s coverage of governance and military ethics (rajadharma/dhanurveda) alongside spiritual doctrine, linking political duty, social obligation (service to the king), and karmic consequence.
The verse presents righteous battle as a purifier: the warrior’s death is said to lead to a “supreme goal,” and service in war is treated as niṣkṛti (atonement) for having lived on the ruler’s support (svāmi-piṇḍa).