Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 17
Somavaṁśa-varṇanam
Description of the Lunar Dynasty
राजेया इति विख्याता विष्णुदत्तवरो रजिः देवासुरे रणे दैत्यानबधीत्सुरयाचितः
rājeyā iti vikhyātā viṣṇudattavaro rajiḥ devāsure raṇe daityānabadhītsurayācitaḥ
Raji, famed as Rājeyā and blessed with a boon granted by Viṣṇu, slew the Daityas in the battle of Devas and Asuras, at the gods’ request.
Lord Agni (narrating Purāṇic history in discourse tradition)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","practical_application":"Model for royal-heroic conduct: accepting divine boon, fighting for cosmic order, and understanding Deva–Asura conflict motifs used in statecraft and ritual storytelling.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Raji (Rājeyā): Viṣṇu’s Boon and Slaying of Daityas","lookup_keywords":["Raji","Rājeyā","Viṣṇudatta-vara","Deva-Asura battle","Daitya-vadha"],"quick_summary":"Describes Raji’s epithet and his Viṣṇu-granted boon, culminating in his decisive role in the Deva–Asura war at the gods’ request—an archetype of divinely sanctioned kingship."}
Alamkara Type: Anuvāda (epithet/renaming)
Weapon Type: Bow (implied kṣatriya warfare)
Concept: Kṣātra-dharma aligned with deva-kārya: power is legitimate when used to uphold ṛta/dharma under divine guidance.
Application: In leadership ethics, treat authority as a trust (vara) to be exercised for collective order, not private gain.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Itihasa-style Royal Genealogies (Kings and heroic exploits)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Raji, crowned and armed, receives a boon from Viṣṇu; then leads a charge in the Deva–Asura war, striking down Daityas while Devas look on in supplication and relief.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: Viṣṇu granting boon with conch and discus; Raji in heroic stance with bow, dynamic battle frieze of Daityas falling; saturated reds/greens, stylized clouds and weapons.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central Viṣṇu with gold halo bestowing boon; below, Raji as warrior-king with gold embellishments, Daityas subdued; ornate arch and gem-like detailing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: sequential panel composition—boon scene and battle scene; fine facial expressions, clear narrative clarity, restrained palette.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: battlefield with detailed armor, banners, and elephants; Raji prominent in the foreground; Devas in the sky pavilion; delicate landscape and calligraphy."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दैत्यानबधीत् → दैत्यान् + अबधीत्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Rajadharma sections on king’s duty in war and protection; Agni Purana: narratives of Deva–Asura conflicts used as exempla
FAQs
This verse primarily conveys Purāṇic historiography and royal exempla: a king empowered by a divine boon protects cosmic order by defeating the Daityas when petitioned by the Devas.
It adds to the Purāṇa’s wide-ranging compendium by preserving lineage-and-episode style records of notable rulers and their deeds, complementing its sections on polity (rājadharma), ritual, and other sciences with historical-ethical exemplars.
The verse underscores dharma-protection: responding to righteous supplication (the Devas’ request) and using divinely sanctioned power (Viṣṇu’s boon) to defeat adharma-aligned forces is presented as merit-bearing and order-restoring.