Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 17
Chapter 9 — श्रीरामावतारकथनम् (Śrī Rāmāvatāra-kathanam) | Hanumān’s Ocean-Crossing, Sītā-Darśana, and the Setu Plan
हत्वातु किङ्करान् सर्वान् सप्त मन्त्रिसुतानपि पुत्रमक्षं कुमारञ्च शक्रजिच्च बबन्ध तम्
hatvātu kiṅkarān sarvān sapta mantrisutānapi putramakṣaṃ kumārañca śakrajicca babandha tam
Tendo matado todos os servidores e também os sete filhos dos ministros, ele amarrou Akṣa, o príncipe—juntamente com Śakrajit (Indrajit).
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha, in the Agni Purana’s puranic retelling style)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","practical_application":"Shows escalation from skirmish to high-value target engagement; illustrates capture/binding of an enemy prince after defeating multiple units—useful as a narrative exemplar of battlefield sequencing.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Enemies defeated and the binding of Akṣa and Śakrajit (Indrajit)","lookup_keywords":["kinkara slain","seven ministers sons","Aksha bound","Shakrajit Indrajit","Hanuman capture"],"quick_summary":"After defeating successive enemy contingents—attendants and ministerial sons—Hanumān binds the prince Akṣa and also Śakrajit/Indrajit, marking a shift from destruction to strategic capture."}
Alamkara Type: Saṅkhyā (enumeration)
Weapon Type: Binding/capture methods (pāśa/rajjū implied)
Concept: Strategic restraint: not every encounter ends in killing; capture can serve higher mission goals (communication, leverage, lawful confrontation).
Application: In conflict management, prioritize outcomes that advance the objective—sometimes restraint and detention are more effective than elimination.
Khanda Section: Itihasa–Ramayana Narrative (Yuddha-kanda episodes within Agni Purana’s encyclopedic retelling)
Primary Rasa: veera
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A battlefield sequence: fallen kinkaras and ministerial sons; Hanumān stands powerful, binding the prince Akṣa and also Śakrajit/Indrajit, with Laṅkā’s royal setting looming behind.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, narrative frieze: multiple defeated figures, Hanumān binding a royal warrior, bold contours, rhythmic repetition to show enumeration, intense vīra-raudra palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central Hanumān with gold leaf aura, bound prince in ornate armor, decorative battlefield elements, rich jewel tones, stylized symmetry despite action","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear labeled grouping of foes (attendants, minister-sons, prince), focus on binding technique, soft coloration and precise linework","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, crowded action scene with detailed armor and textiles, Hanumān binding a prince, attendants strewn, palace architecture and courtiers in background, fine brush detail"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"fast","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: hatvātu = hatvā + tu; mantrisutānapi = mantrisutān + api; kumārañca = kumāram + ca (m + c → ñc); śakrajicca = śakrajit + ca (t + c → cc).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 9 (Hanumān’s Laṅkā exploits leading to confrontation with Rāvaṇa)
FAQs
This verse is narrative rather than instructional; it conveys wartime action—defeating enemies and taking key figures captive (bandhana), a common motif in epic battle literature rather than a ritual or medical vidyā.
By embedding condensed epic history (Itihāsa/Rāmāyaṇa-style battle episodes) alongside other disciplines, the Agni Purana functions as a compendium that preserves narrative tradition in addition to ritual, polity, and śāstric topics.
As an epic narration, it underscores the karmic theme that adharma-aligned forces and their allies are overcome; restraint/capture of hostile powers symbolizes the curbing of destructive tendencies and the restoration of dharmic order.