Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 13
Chapter 233 — Ṣāḍguṇya (The Six Measures of Royal Policy) and Foreign Daṇḍa
एवं ब्रूयाद्रणे प्राप्ते भग्नाः सर्वे परे इति क्ष्वेडाः किलकिलाः कार्या वाच्यः शत्रुर्हतस् तथा
evaṃ brūyādraṇe prāpte bhagnāḥ sarve pare iti kṣveḍāḥ kilakilāḥ kāryā vācyaḥ śatrurhatas tathā
युद्ध सुरू झाल्यावर असे जाहीर करावे—“सर्व शत्रुपक्ष भग्न झाला!”; मोठे रणनाद व किलकिलाट करावा, तसेच “शत्रू मारला गेला” असेही सांगावे।
Lord Agni (instructing Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","secondary_vidya":"Natya","practical_application":"Use scripted victory-shouts, ululations, and announcements to break enemy morale and prevent friendly panic once battle begins.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Raṇa-ghoṣa: Victory Proclamations and Battle Cries","lookup_keywords":["raṇa-ghoṣa","kṣveḍa","kilakilā","bhagna-śatru","śatru-hata"],"quick_summary":"At battle onset, loudly proclaim enemy collapse and death; coordinated cries and ululations function as morale-boosters and psychological weapons."}
Alamkara Type: Anuprasa
Concept: Speech (vāk) as force-multiplier: collective utterance shapes perception and battlefield reality.
Application: Commanders employ controlled messaging to stabilize allies and destabilize opponents.
Khanda Section: Dhanurveda (Military Science and Battlefield Stratagems)
Primary Rasa: Vira
Secondary Rasa: Raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In mid-battle, heralds and soldiers shout ‘All enemies are broken!’ while raising weapons; loud cries and ululations ripple through ranks, unsettling the opposing line.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, rhythmic rows of warriors with open mouths in synchronized shout, stylized sound-lines, drums and conches, enemy line wavering, bold reds and ochres","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gilded banners and ornaments, central herald proclaiming victory, embossed gold on drums and conches, expressive faces, decorative sound motifs","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, diagrammatic battlefield with a herald unit, clear depiction of signaling instruments (drum, conch), troops responding in unison, calm instructional clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, crowded melee with a foreground herald shouting, musicians with kettledrums, enemy soldiers turning back, fine textile detail and dynamic motion"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"fast","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: brūyādraṇe = brūyāt + raṇe; śatrurhataḥ = śatruḥ + hataḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Dhanurveda material on bherī-śaṅkha-nāda (drums and conches) and senā-sañjñā (signals)
FAQs
It teaches yuddha-nīti as practical battlefield communication: issuing victory-proclamations and raising coordinated war-cries to intimidate and demoralize the opposing army.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves applied knowledge such as Dhanurveda—here, tactical speech and sonic signaling as a method of psychological advantage during combat.
It is primarily pragmatic rather than sacramental: it emphasizes disciplined action and strategy in one’s svadharma (duty) during conflict, aiming at victory through order and morale.