Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 26
Raṇadīkṣā (War-Consecration) — Agni Purāṇa Adhyāya 235
पुरोधसा हुतं पश्येद्वह्निं हुत्वा द्विजान्यजेत् गृहीत्वा सशरञ्चापं गजाद्यारुह्य वै व्रजेत्
purodhasā hutaṃ paśyedvahniṃ hutvā dvijānyajet gṛhītvā saśarañcāpaṃ gajādyāruhya vai vrajet
પુરોહિત દ્વારા હવન કરાવી અગ્નિનું દર્શન કરવું. હવન પછી દ્વિજોને સન્માનપૂર્વક યજન કરવું. ત્યારબાદ બાણসহ ધનુષ્ય લઈને ગજાદિ વાહન પર ચઢી પ્રસ્થાન કરવું.
Lord Agni (instructional narration in the Agni Purana tradition, addressed to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Royal protective routine: purohita-led homa, honoring brahmins, then immediate martial readiness—taking bow and arrows, mounting an elephant/vehicle, and proceeding for inspection, patrol, or campaign.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Rāja-rakṣā Routine: Homa, Brahmin Honor, and Armed Departure (Bow–Arrow, Elephant Mount)","lookup_keywords":["purohita","homa","dvija-pūjā","dhanus-śara","gaja-ārohaṇa"],"quick_summary":"A king integrates ritual protection with practical readiness: after chaplain-led fire offering and honoring brahmins, he arms himself with bow and arrows, mounts an elephant (or other mount), and sets out."}
Weapon Type: Bow (cāpa/dhanus) with arrows (śara).
Concept: Rāja-dharma harmonizes sacred rite (homa, honoring dvijas) with kṣātra action (armed movement) for protection of the polity.
Application: Before major state action (inspection, campaign), perform protective homa under purohita, give due honor/dakṣiṇā to brahmins, then proceed fully armed with appropriate mount.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Dhanurveda (Royal consecration, protective rites, martial readiness)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal chaplain performs a fire-offering while the king watches; brahmins are honored; then the king takes bow and arrows, mounts an elephant (or horse/chariot), and departs with attendants.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, homa fire blazing in a square altar, purohita chanting, king in regal attire observing, brahmins receiving honors, next panel: king holding bow and quiver, mounting a decorated elephant, temple-palace backdrop, saturated colors.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold, central homa scene with ornate altar and flames, purohita and king, gold-highlighted offerings; side scene of king with bow and arrows atop richly caparisoned elephant, heavy jewelry and arch motifs.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear narrative sequence: (1) homa by purohita, (2) honoring dvijas, (3) king arming with bow and arrows, (4) mounting elephant and moving out; fine linework, instructional clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, palace courtyard with homa altar, detailed textiles and faces, brahmins receiving gifts; king then shown on elephant with bow, procession exiting city gate, naturalistic shading and architecture."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bilawal","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पश्येद्वह्निं = पश्येत् + वह्निम्; द्विजान्यजेत् = द्विजान् + यजेत्; सशरञ्चापम् = स-शर-चापम्; गजाद्यारुह्य = गजादि + आरुह्य.
Related Themes: Agni Purāṇa 235 (rāja-rakṣā, dhanurveda-linked rites)
FAQs
It prescribes a post-homa protocol: the purohita conducts the offering, the patron ritually beholds Agni, honours brahmins with gifts/offerings, then arms himself (bow and arrows) and departs mounted—linking yajña-vidhi with royal/martial procedure.
In a single instruction it integrates multiple domains—Vedic-style fire ritual (homa), social-religious duty (dvija-satkara/dāna), and practical statecraft/military readiness (weapon-bearing and mounted departure), exemplifying the text’s multi-disciplinary scope.
Beholding the consecrated fire and honouring brahmins after the offering reinforces purity, auspiciousness, and merit (puṇya), while the armed, mounted departure frames the ensuing action as dharmically protected and ritually sanctioned.