Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 19
Chapter 13 — कुरुपाण्डवोत्पत्त्यादिकथनं
Narration of the Origin of the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, and Related Matters
भ्रात्रा दुःशासनेनोक्तः कर्णेन प्राप्तभूतिना द्यूतकार्ये शकुनिना द्यूतेन स युधिष्ठिरम्
bhrātrā duḥśāsanenoktaḥ karṇena prāptabhūtinā dyūtakārye śakuninā dyūtena sa yudhiṣṭhiram
ભાઈ દુઃશાસનના ઉશ્કેરણાથી, અને પ્રભાવ-સમૃદ્ધ કર્ણના સમર્થનથી, તેણે દ્યુતકાર્ય માટે શકુનિને નિયુક્ત કરીને, પાસાની રમતમાં યुधિષ્ઠિરને પડકાર્યો.
Agni (narrating puranic-itihasa material to Vasiṣṭha, as per common Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Serves as a cautionary case-study: gambling (dyūta) as a political weapon engineered by agents (Śakuni) and fueled by factional incitement—warning rulers against vice-based vulnerabilities.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Dyūta as political stratagem: incitement, proxy-agent, and challenge protocol","lookup_keywords":["dyūta","Śakuni","Duḥśāsana","Karṇa","Yudhiṣṭhira"],"quick_summary":"The verse outlines how a rival faction orchestrates a dice match through instigation and an expert agent, turning a vice into a tool for dispossession and conflict escalation."}
Concept: Adharma spreads through bad counsel and institutionalized vice; a king’s weakness (addiction/compulsion) becomes an entry point for political ruin.
Application: Rulers should prohibit/strictly regulate gambling, avoid provocations, and recognize ‘agent-based’ traps set by adversaries.
Khanda Section: Itihasa-Katha (Mahabharata episode: Dyuta / Rajadharma cautionary narrative)
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A tense dice hall: Śakuni as the calculating dice-player, Duryodhana backed by Duḥśāsana and Karṇa, challenging Yudhiṣṭhira into the game.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized sabhā with bold outlines, Śakuni casting dice, Yudhiṣṭhira seated solemnly, Duḥśāsana leaning forward urging, Karṇa standing confident, dramatic color blocks","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-embossed court pillars and ornaments, central dice board highlighted, Śakuni’s hand mid-throw, Yudhiṣṭhira calm yet strained, antagonists richly adorned","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear narrative staging: dice board, gestures of instigation, facial expressions; architectural interior rendered neatly for instructional storytelling","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed palace hall with carpets, courtiers in profile, Śakuni focused on dice, Yudhiṣṭhira opposite, Duḥśāsana and Karṇa behind Duryodhana, subtle tension in posture"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दुःशासनेनोक्तः = दुःशासनेन + उक्तः; द्रोणात्सर्वे (पूर्वश्लोके) इव, अत्र सन्धिः न्यूनः; 'स युधिष्ठिरम्' = सः + युधिष्ठिरम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 13.18
FAQs
No ritual-vidyā is taught here; the verse conveys practical rajadharma-ethics by depicting dyūta (gambling) as a politically engineered instrument used to ensnare a rival.
By incorporating Itihāsa material (Mahābhārata synopsis) alongside dharma and governance themes, the Agni Purana functions as a compendium—using narrative case-studies to illustrate political strategy, moral decline, and social consequences.
It highlights how instigation, deceit, and addiction-driven dyūta become causes (hetu) for adharma and future suffering—warning that unethical means used to defeat others generate heavy karmic repercussions.