Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 70
अध्याय १ — यजुर्विधानम्
Agni Purana, Chapter 259: Yajur-vidhāna
धर्मविवर्धनमिति ज मन्त्रश् च हि रथ ह्य् एतच्छराणामिति क , छ ,च विष्णोः क्रमेति मन्त्रश् च रथारोहणिकः परः आजङ्घेतीति चाश्वानां ताडनीयमुदाहृतं
dharmavivardhanamiti ja mantraś ca hi ratha hy etaccharāṇāmiti ka , cha ,ca viṣṇoḥ krameti mantraś ca rathārohaṇikaḥ paraḥ ājaṅghetīti cāśvānāṃ tāḍanīyamudāhṛtaṃ
‘ਧਰਮਵਿਵਰਧਨ’—ਇਹ ਜ-ਮੰਤ੍ਰ ਹੈ। ‘ਇਹ ਰਥ ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਬਾਣਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਯੁਕਤ ਹੈ’—ਇਹ ਕ-, ਛ- ਅਤੇ ਚ-ਮੰਤ੍ਰ ਹਨ। ‘ਵਿਸ਼ਣੂ ਦੇ ਕ੍ਰਮ ਵਿੱਚ’—ਰਥ ਉੱਤੇ ਚੜ੍ਹਨ ਲਈ ਇਹ ਉਤਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਟ ਮੰਤ੍ਰ ਹੈ। ‘ਆਜਙ੍ਘੇਤੀ’ ਘੋੜਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਤਾੜ ਕੇ ਅੱਗੇ ਵਧਾਉਣ ਦੀ ਪ੍ਰੇਰਕ ਪੁਕਾਰ ਦੱਸੀ ਗਈ ਹੈ।
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, in the Dhanurveda section)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Battlefield rites for chariot deployment: mantra-japa for mounting the ratha, empowering arrows, and urging horses in motion.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Rathārohaṇa, Śara-siddhi, and Aśva-tāḍana Mantras","lookup_keywords":["rathārohaṇa-mantra","śara-mantra","aśva-tāḍana","viṣṇoḥ krama","dharmavivardhana"],"quick_summary":"Gives a compact set of operational mantras: one for dharma-increase, a set for arrows/chariot readiness, a Viṣṇu-stride formula for mounting, and a specific call to urge horses."}
Weapon Type: Chariot (ratha) with arrows (śara); horse-team (aśva)
Concept: Mantra as functional power (śakti) integrated with military action (karman) for dharma-aligned victory.
Application: Use mantra as a disciplined protocol: speech-act synchronized with mounting, arming, and driving to stabilize mind and coordinate the unit.
Khanda Section: Dhanurveda (Ratha-vidhi and Mantra-prayoga for archery and chariot warfare)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A warrior mounts a decorated chariot stocked with arrows; the charioteer urges the horses while mantras are recited before battle.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat vibrant colors, ornate ratha with parasols and banners, warrior reciting mantra while stepping onto chariot, horses in dynamic pose, sacred aura around Viṣṇu-krama motif, traditional jewelry and textiles","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf highlights on chariot fittings and quiver, central warrior mounting ratha, stylized horses, inscription-like mantra bands, rich reds and greens, devotional-martial fusion","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, fine linework, instructional composition showing sequence: arrows arranged, foot on chariot step, charioteer raising whip, labeled mantra cues in margins, muted elegance","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed battlefield camp, close-up of chariot preparation, attendants handing arrows, charioteer urging horses, calligraphic cartouches for mantras, naturalistic horses and textiles"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: रथ ह्य् → रथ + हि; एतच्छराणामिति → एतत् + शराणाम् + इति; चाश्वानाम् → च + अश्वानाम्; मन्त्रश् → मन्त्रः (visarga sandhi).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Dhanurveda khanda: ratha-vidhi sections; mantra-prayoga sequences around 259.71–259.74
FAQs
It gives Dhanurvedic mantra-prayoga: specific utterances linked to syllables (ja/ka/cha/ca) for empowering or designating chariot-and-arrow readiness, a Viṣṇu-related mantra for mounting the chariot, and a driving-call used to urge horses forward.
Alongside theology and dharma, the Agni Purana preserves practical military science—down to operational speech-forms used in chariot deployment, archery readiness, and horse-control—showing how mantra, phonetics, and battlefield procedure are integrated.
By framing battlefield actions with dharma- and Viṣṇu-associated mantras, the act of warfare is ritually disciplined—aiming to align power and success with auspiciousness, restraint, and dharmic intent rather than mere aggression.