Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 5
कुरुपाण्डवसङ्ग्रामवर्णनम्
Description of the War between the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas
पाण्डवानां शिखण्डी च तयोर्युद्धं बभूव ह धार्तराष्ट्राः पाण्डवांश् च जघ्नुर्युद्धे सभीष्मकाः
pāṇḍavānāṃ śikhaṇḍī ca tayoryuddhaṃ babhūva ha dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ pāṇḍavāṃś ca jaghnuryuddhe sabhīṣmakāḥ
ਪਾਂਡਵਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਸ਼ਿਖੰਡੀ ਵੀ (ਉਸ ਨਾਲ) ਯੁੱਧ ਵਿੱਚ ਜੁੱਟਿਆ। ਉਸ ਲੜਾਈ ਵਿੱਚ ਧ੍ਰਿਤਰਾਸ਼ਟਰ ਦੇ ਪੁੱਤਰ, ਭੀਸ਼ਮ ਦੀ ਫੌਜ ਸਮੇਤ, ਪਾਂਡਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਵੀ ਮਾਰ ਕੇ ਡਾਹੁੰਦੇ ਰਹੇ।
Lord Agni (narrating puranic-itihasa material to Vasiṣṭha, in the common Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","practical_application":"Highlights a decisive tactical-narrative element (Śikhaṇḍī’s engagement with Bhīṣma) and the intensity of casualties; useful for understanding Itihāsa causality and battlefield ethics/strategy motifs.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Śikhaṇḍī’s engagement and the Kaurava assault with Bhīṣma’s forces","lookup_keywords":["Śikhaṇḍī","Bhīṣma","Dhārtarāṣṭra","Pāṇḍava","yuddha"],"quick_summary":"Śikhaṇḍī fights on the Pāṇḍava side; the Dhṛtarāṣṭra sons, supported by Bhīṣma’s forces, strike the Pāṇḍavas in battle—signaling the war’s ferocity and key confrontations."}
Khanda Section: Itihasa-Katha (Mahabharata narrative synopsis within Agni Purana)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Śikhaṇḍī advances with the Pāṇḍavas; opposing them, the Dhārtarāṣṭra warriors surge with Bhīṣma’s supporting ranks, weapons raised, bodies falling amid dust and banners.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: dense battle tableau; Śikhaṇḍī identifiable by distinctive attire and stance; Bhīṣma’s forces as an imposing wave; stylized bloodless yet intense action, bold reds and blacks.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: heroic figures with gold highlights on armor and standards; Śikhaṇḍī foregrounded; Kaurava mass behind; ornate borders, dramatic diagonals suggesting impact.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: clear grouping of Pāṇḍava side with Śikhaṇḍī; opposing Dhārtarāṣṭras; emphasis on readable narrative sequencing and weapon postures.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: chaotic melee with fine detail—horses, chariots, foot soldiers; Śikhaṇḍī confronting the line near Bhīṣma’s banner; dust clouds, expressive faces, meticulous arms."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Shankara","pace":"fast","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तयोर्युद्धं=तयोः + युद्धम्; पाण्डवांश् च=पाण्डवान् + च; जघ्नुर्युद्धे=जघ्नुḥ + युद्धे; सभीष्मकाः=स + भीष्मकाः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Itihāsa-saṅgraha passages summarizing Bhīṣma’s fall and subsequent parvans
FAQs
This verse primarily transmits itihāsa (historical-epic) battle narration rather than a ritual procedure; its ‘vidyā’ value is contextual knowledge of warfare episodes and key combatants within the Kurukṣetra account.
By embedding Mahābhārata war episodes, the Agni Purāṇa functions as a compendium that preserves not only ritual and doctrine but also epic history,人物-lineages, and battlefield narratives that frame discussions of polity, ethics, and martial culture.
The verse underscores the destructive momentum of dharma-conflict in war: even righteous heroes suffer harm; it serves as a reflective prompt on karma, the costs of violence, and the inevitability of suffering in large-scale adharmic contention.