Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 54
Chapter 12 — श्रीहरिवंशवर्णनं (Śrī-Harivaṃśa-varṇana) | The Description of the Sacred Harivaṃśa
बलभद्रः प्रलम्बघ्नो यमुनाकर्षणो ऽभवत् द्विविदस्य कपेर्भेत्ता कौरवोन्मादनाशनः
balabhadraḥ pralambaghno yamunākarṣaṇo 'bhavat dvividasya kaperbhettā kauravonmādanāśanaḥ
ພຣະອົງໄດ້ກາຍເປັນ ບະລະພະດຣະ (Balabhadra) ຜູ້ສັງຫານ ປຣະລັມບະ (Pralamba); ຜູ້ດຶງແມ່ນ້ຳ ຢະມຸນາ (Yamunā) ໃຫ້ເບື້ອງອອກ; ຜູ້ທຳລາຍລີງ ດວິວິດະ (Dvivida); ແລະ ຜູ້ກຳຈັດຄວາມຄຸ້ມຄັ່ງຫຼົງຕົນຂອງ ກອຣະວະ (Kaurava).
Lord Agni (in dialogue to Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","practical_application":"Catalog of Balabhadra/Balarāma’s heroic epithets used for remembrance, storytelling, and as mnemonic anchors for associated līlās (Pralamba-vadha, Yamunā-karṣaṇa, etc.).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Balabhadra’s epithets and deeds (Pralambaghna, Yamunākarṣaṇa, Dvivida-bhettā)","lookup_keywords":["Balabhadra","Pralamba slayer","Yamunākarṣaṇa","Dvivida","Kaurava unmāda"],"quick_summary":"The verse lists Balarāma’s defining exploits—slaying Pralamba, drawing the Yamunā, killing Dvivida, and dispelling Kaurava frenzy—serving as a compact index of his līlās."}
Alamkara Type: Anuprāsa (name-epithet chaining)
Weapon Type: Muṣala (pestle/mace); Hala (plough as weapon/tool)
Concept: Protective strength used to curb adharma and arrogance; divine power restores balance in society (Kaurava ‘unmāda’).
Application: Channel strength toward restraint of injustice; cultivate steadiness against collective frenzy and pride.
Khanda Section: Avataras and Vamsa-Charita (Krishna-Balarama cycle)
Primary Rasa: vīra
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: River
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A heroic montage of Balarāma: striking down Pralamba, pulling/redirecting the Yamunā with his plough, slaying the monkey Dvivida, and confronting Kauravas to quell their frenzy.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural montage: Balarāma with hala and muṣala in four vignettes; Yamunā as stylized river goddess being drawn; Pralamba and Dvivida shown as defeated foes; bold colors, sacred dynamism.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central Balarāma with gold halo holding plough and pestle; surrounding medallions of Pralamba-vadha, Yamunākarṣaṇa, Dvivida-bheda, Kaurava subjugation; heavy gold ornamentation.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: sequential narrative panels with clear action—plough hooking the river, muṣala strike, foes identified; refined linework, readable storytelling.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: action-packed scenes with detailed landscape—riverbank for Yamunā, forest for Dvivida, courtly setting for Kauravas; Balarāma as powerful hero with ornate costume and weapons."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"fast","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: yamunākarṣaṇo 'bhavat = yamunā-karṣaṇaḥ + abhavat. kaperbhettā = kapeḥ + bhettā. kauravonmādanāśanaḥ = kaurava-unmādana-āśanaḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 12.53 (Yādava narrative context)
FAQs
This verse primarily imparts itihāsa-purāṇic identifications (nāma–karma saṅgraha): it lists Balarāma’s functional epithets based on specific deeds, serving as a mnemonic catalogue rather than a ritual procedure.
By compressing multiple narratives into a single string of epithets, it functions like an index of mythic events (Pralamba-vadha, Yamunā-karṣaṇa, Dvivida-vadha, Kaurava-unmāda-śamana), demonstrating the text’s encyclopedic style of cataloguing lore for quick recall.
Remembering and reciting such epithets is traditionally treated as smaraṇa of divine deeds (līlā-smṛti), reinforcing devotion and the ideal that divine power removes adharma—symbolized here as “unmāda” (deluded arrogance) among the Kauravas.