Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 26
अश्ववाहनसारः
Aśvavāhana-sāra) — Essentials of Horses as Mounts (and Horse-Treatment
प्रग्रहेण गृहीत्वाथ प्रविष्टो वाहभूतलम् सव्यापसव्यभेदेन वाहनीयः स्वसादिना
pragraheṇa gṛhītvātha praviṣṭo vāhabhūtalam savyāpasavyabhedena vāhanīyaḥ svasādinā
मग लगाम हातात धरून आणि वाहनाच्या पाठीवर आरूढ होऊन, स्वाराने आपल्या आसन व हाताळणीप्रमाणे डावे-उजवे भेद करून वाहनास नियंत्रित व चालवावे।
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, in the Agni Purāṇa’s encyclopedic Dhanurveda material)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Basic cavalry/horsemanship procedure: mounting with rein control and steering by left-right differentiation aligned to seat balance.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Mounting and steering by rein and seat (aśvārūḍha-vidhi)","lookup_keywords":["pragraha","ārohaṇa","savyāpasavya","sādī","vāha-niyama"],"quick_summary":"After taking the rein and mounting, the rider guides the horse through left/right control coordinated with stable seat and handling."}
Concept: Mastery comes from controlled technique—hand (rein) and body (seat) must act together rather than by force.
Application: Training drill: repeated mount–halt–left–right transitions focusing on balance and rein feel.
Khanda Section: Dhanurveda (Ashva- & Ratha-vidhi / Military horsemanship and riding technique)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A rider mounts a horse while holding the rein, demonstrating left and right steering cues with a balanced seat.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, dynamic horse and rider in profile, clear rein line, rider posture emphasized, minimal landscape, traditional flat colors and ornamental borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, heroic rider with gold accents on bridle and saddle, richly decorated horse, strong frontal composition, stylized motion lines for turning","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional tableau: rider mounting step-by-step, arrows indicating left/right turns, fine detailing of rein grip and seat alignment","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly training ground, groom assisting, detailed tack and textiles, rider practicing left-right maneuvers, naturalistic horse anatomy"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"focused","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गृहीत्वाथ = गृहीत्वा + अथ (आ + अ → आ); अन्यत्र संधि न्यूनम्।
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Dhanurveda aśva-śikṣā and ratha-vidhi sequences (contextual)
FAQs
It teaches practical horsemanship: grasping the rein, mounting correctly, and controlling the mount through left–right directional handling while maintaining a proper seat.
Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves applied sciences like Dhanurveda—here, a concise manual-style rule for mounted movement and control used in warfare and training.
By emphasizing disciplined, correct method (vidhi) and self-control in action, it aligns martial practice with dharmic restraint—skill guided by order rather than impulse.