Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 68
अध्याय १ — यजुर्विधानम्
Agni Purana, Chapter 259: Yajur-vidhāna
मन्त्रश्चाहिरथेत्येतच्छराणां मन्त्रणे भवेत् वह्नीनां पितरित्येतत्तूर्णमन्त्रः प्रकीर्तितः
mantraścāhirathetyetaccharāṇāṃ mantraṇe bhavet vahnīnāṃ pitarityetattūrṇamantraḥ prakīrtitaḥ
El mantra que comienza con «āhirathe …» debe emplearse para la consagración mantrica de las flechas. Y la fórmula «vahnīnāṃ pitar …» es proclamada como el mantra tūrṇa, de acción rápida.
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Use one mantra specifically to empower arrows (śara-mantraṇa) and another as a rapid-effect (tūrṇa) formula for urgent martial deployment.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Śara-mantraṇa formula and Tūrṇa (swift-acting) mantra","lookup_keywords":["āhirathe","śara mantraṇa","vahnīnāṃ pitar","tūrṇa mantra","arrow empowerment"],"quick_summary":"The verse distinguishes a mantra for consecrating arrows from a ‘swift’ mantra intended for quick efficacy, indicating differentiated mantra selection by battlefield need."}
Weapon Type: Arrows (śara)
Concept: Applied knowledge classifies tools and formulas by function—preparatory empowerment versus rapid-response activation.
Application: In any discipline, separate preparation routines from emergency protocols; keep the latter short, memorized, and reliable.
Khanda Section: Dhanurveda (Mantra-prayoga for Astra/Śara)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An archer empowers a bundle of arrows with mantra; a second vignette shows a tense moment where a short ‘swift’ mantra is uttered before immediate release.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, quiver and arrows laid before a small flame, archer chanting with hand over arrows, stylized wind lines indicating speed for the tūrṇa moment, bold contours and rhythmic composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, arrows and quiver highlighted with gold, archer in frontal pose blessing/empowering arrows, radiant halo-like motif around weapons, ornate borders and lamp-lit altar.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, stepwise instructional depiction: arrow bundle consecration, then quick mantra utterance and release; clean outlines, minimal scenery, emphasis on hand positions and equipment.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed arrowheads and fletching, archer murmuring mantra, then rapid action scene with dynamic posture, fine landscape and courtly realism."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"fast","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: mantraścāhirathetyetat = mantraḥ ca ahi-ratha iti etat; etaccharāṇām = etat śarāṇām; pitarityetat = pitari iti etat.
Related Themes: Agni Purana dhanurveda mantra-prayoga for astras/śaras (same khanda context)
FAQs
It specifies two practical mantra-applications in Dhanurveda: one mantra used to consecrate/empower arrows (śara-mantraṇa) and another identified as a fast-acting (tūrṇa) mantra, likely for rapid efficacy in fire-related weapon action.
Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves technical instructions from martial science—here, operational details on mantra-based weapon consecration—showing how Puranic literature also functioned as a compendium of applied knowledge.
By prescribing mantras for weapon empowerment, the text frames martial action within a regulated sacred protocol, implying that effectiveness and legitimacy are tied to disciplined mantra-use rather than mere violence, aligning action with dharmic order and ritual purity.