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
E Śikhaṇḍī, do lado dos Pāṇḍavas, travou de fato combate (com ele). Nessa luta, os filhos de Dhṛtarāṣṭra, juntamente com as forças de Bhīṣma, também abateram os Pāṇḍavas.
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.