Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 28
Chapter 12 — श्रीहरिवंशवर्णनं (Śrī-Harivaṃśa-varṇana) | The Description of the Sacred Harivaṃśa
जरासन्धस्य ते पुत्र्यौ जरासन्धस्तदीरितः चक्रे स मथुरारोधं यादवैर् युयुधे शरैः
jarāsandhasya te putryau jarāsandhastadīritaḥ cakre sa mathurārodhaṃ yādavair yuyudhe śaraiḥ
അവർ ജരാസന്ധന്റെ രണ്ടു പുത്രിമാർ; അവരുടെ പ്രേരണയാൽ ജരാസന്ധൻ മഥുരയെ ഉപരോധിച്ച് യാദവരോടു അമ്പുവർഷത്തോടെ യുദ്ധം ചെയ്തു।
Lord Agni (narrating to Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s frame-dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Illustrates siege warfare and archery volleys as a political response to dynastic grievance; useful for understanding classical siege motifs and ranged-combat emphasis.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Jarāsandha’s siege of Mathurā and arrow-volley battle","lookup_keywords":["Jarāsandha","Mathurā-rodha","siege","śara","Yādava"],"quick_summary":"Provoked by his daughters’ grievance, Jarāsandha besieges Mathurā and engages the Yādavas with sustained arrow volleys—classic purāṇic siege-and-ranged-combat framing."}
Alamkara Type: Vīra-yuddha-varṇana; hetu (causal link) via daughters’ urging
Weapon Type: Bow and arrows (śara)
Concept: Personal grievance can escalate into collective warfare; rulers must weigh counsel and consequences.
Application: In leadership, scrutinize emotionally driven advice; de-escalate before conflict becomes entrenched.
Khanda Section: Itihasa-Purana Katha (Krishna-Charita / Yadava-Vamsa Narratives)
Primary Rasa: Vīra
Secondary Rasa: Raudra
Type: Kingdom/City
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Jarāsandha’s forces surround Mathurā; archers release volleys toward the city while Yādava defenders respond from walls and gates.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, panoramic siege: stylized fort walls, massed archers with synchronized bows, banners and drums; defenders on ramparts; bold reds/ochres and strong outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, fortified Mathurā with gold-highlighted battlements; Jarāsandha as regal commander with ornate crown; glittering arrow patterns and decorative borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, technical clarity of siege layout: encirclement lines, gate focus, archery ranks; subtle shading and precise architecture rendering.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed fort architecture and troop formations; archers in layered ranks; smoke/dust of battle; individualized faces and textiles."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Khamaj","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: jarāsandhastadīritaḥ = jarāsandhaḥ + tadīritaḥ (visarga sandhi). yādavair = yādavaiḥ (visarga/lopa in recitation).
Related Themes: Agni Purāṇa Kṛṣṇa-carita: Jarāsandha conflicts following Kaṃsa-vadha
FAQs
This verse primarily conveys Itihāsa-style narrative content; the technical element is martial vocabulary—siege/blockade (rodha) and archery combat (śaraiḥ).
Alongside ritual, dharma, and śāstra materials, the Agni Purana preserves epic-Puranic political-military narratives—here depicting siege warfare and dynastic conflict involving Mathurā and the Yādavas.
It functions as a moral-historical illustration of how instigation and hostility drive conflict and suffering, a recurring Purāṇic theme used to frame dharma and the consequences of enmity.