Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 9
Somavaṁśa-varṇanam
Description of the Lunar Dynasty
जहार तरसा सोमो ह्य् अवमन्याङ्गिरःसुतम् ततस्तद्युद्धमभवत् प्रख्यातं तारकामयम्
jahāra tarasā somo hy avamanyāṅgiraḥsutam tatastadyuddhamabhavat prakhyātaṃ tārakāmayam
Soma, in a surge of force, carried her off, indeed scorning the son of Aṅgiras; and from that there arose the battle renowned as the Tārakāmaya war.
Lord Agni (narrating the Purāṇic account to Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","practical_application":"Understanding how personal adharma escalates into collective conflict; also serves as a narrative anchor for discussing just-war limits and the catastrophic cost of dishonor.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Tārakāmaya War: Abduction of Tārā and the Outbreak of Deva Conflict","lookup_keywords":["Tārā","haraṇa","Soma","Aṅgiras-suta","Tārakāmaya-yuddha"],"quick_summary":"Soma’s forceful abduction of Tārā, coupled with contempt toward Bṛhaspati (Aṅgiras’ son), triggers the famed Tārakāmaya war. The verse marks the ignition point from private offense to cosmic battle."}
Alamkara Type: Nāma-nirdeśa (itihāsa-prasiddhi: ‘prakhyātam’ yuddha)
Weapon Type: General (implied deva weaponry)
Concept: Adharma at the interpersonal level can precipitate loka-kṣaya-scale conflict; disrespect (avamāna) magnifies violence.
Application: Conflict prevention: address insults and boundary violations early; uphold honor through dharmic arbitration rather than force.
Khanda Section: Itihasa-Puranic Narratives (Deva-Asura conflicts; Soma–Tara episode)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Soma swiftly carries off Tārā; Bṛhaspati is shown affronted; armies of devas and opposing forces gather, heralding the Tārakāmaya war.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, dynamic diagonal composition: Soma lifting Tārā, Bṛhaspati in sage-priest form enraged, celestial armies assembling, bold outlines and saturated colors","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, dramatic abduction scene with gold halos, Tārā’s ornaments gleaming, Bṛhaspati and assembled devas in symmetrical war tableau, gold embossing for weapons and crowns","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, sequential narrative panels: abduction on left, insulted Bṛhaspati center, mobilizing armies right; fine detailing and clear storytelling","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, fast-moving abduction in a palace-garden, courtiers and celestial warriors reacting, detailed horses/elephants and banners, refined facial expressions"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"fast","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: hy avamanyāṅgiraḥsutam = हि + अवमन्य + अङ्गिरःसुतम्; tatastadyuddhamabhavat = ततः + तत् + युद्धम् + अभवत्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 273.6; Agni Purana 273.10
FAQs
No ritual or technical vidyā is taught here; the verse records a Purāṇic narrative cause—Soma’s forcible abduction and the insult to Bṛhaspati—leading to a famous divine conflict.
It demonstrates the Agni Purāṇa’s encyclopedic scope by preserving major Purāṇic-itihāsa narratives (genealogies, divine disputes, and their consequences) alongside its many technical disciplines.
The passage functions as a moral-causal illustration: disregard of dharma and violation of marital/social order precipitate large-scale conflict and suffering, emphasizing ethical restraint and respect for rightful relationships.