Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 8
Chapter 10 — श्रीरामावतारवर्णनम्
Description of the Incarnation-Deeds of Śrī Rāma
हनूमान् गिरिशृङ्गेण धूम्राक्षमबधीद्रिपुम् अकम्पनं प्रहस्तञ्च युध्यन्तं नील आबधीत्
hanūmān giriśṛṅgeṇa dhūmrākṣamabadhīdripum akampanaṃ prahastañca yudhyantaṃ nīla ābadhīt
हनूमान् गिरिशृङ्गेण धूम्राक्षं रिपुम् अबधीत्; नीलः युध्यन्तम् अकम्पनं प्रहस्तं च आबधीत्।
Lord Agni (narrating the Itihasa synopsis to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","secondary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","practical_application":"Illustrates heroic single-combat episodes, use of terrain as weapon (mountain-peak), and named-target elimination in war narrative.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Hanūmān’s Girīśṛṅga Strike; Nīla’s Slaying of Akampana and Prahasta","lookup_keywords":["hanūmān","girīśṛṅga","dhūmrākṣa-vadha","nīla","prahasta"],"quick_summary":"Hanūmān kills Dhūmrākṣa using a mountain-peak as a weapon, while Nīla fells Akampana and Prahasta in combat. The entry emphasizes heroic lethality and improvised heavy-weapon use."}
Alamkara Type: Kriyā-viśeṣa (action-focused narration)
Weapon Type: Improvised heavy weapon (mountain-peak); hand-to-hand/impact strike
Concept: Strength yoked to righteous cause becomes a vehicle for protecting order; allies’ valor is integral to dharma’s victory.
Application: Leadership lesson: coordinated allies and decisive action against key threats can end prolonged conflict.
Khanda Section: Itihasa-Ramayana-Sangraha (Ramayana narrative synopsis within Agni Purana)
Primary Rasa: Vira
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Hanūmān swings a jagged mountain-peak down upon Dhūmrākṣa; nearby, Nīla battles and strikes down Akampana and Prahasta amid fallen weapons and banners.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Hanūmān colossal with girīśṛṅga raised, Dhūmrākṣa in rākṣasa armor, Nīla in adjacent combat vignette, bold contours, rhythmic battle movement","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central Hanūmān with gold-highlighted ornaments, mountain-peak stylized with gilded edges, rākṣasa generals with ornate crowns, rich reds and greens, temple-like framing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean narrative panels: (1) Hanūmān vs Dhūmrākṣa with mountain weapon, (2) Nīla striking Akampana and Prahasta, delicate shading, readable action","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, finely detailed battlefield with banners, Hanūmān mid-swing holding rocky crag, rākṣasa general falling, Nīla’s duel rendered with precise armor and textiles"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: dhūmrākṣamabadhīt → dhūmrākṣam + abadhīt; prahastañca → prahastam + ca; nīla ābadhīt → nīlaḥ + ābadhīt (visarga before vowel).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rāmāyaṇa-saṅgraha: episodes of Dhūmrākṣa, Akampana, Prahasta vadha; Agni Purana sections praising Hanūmān (stotra/mahātmya-type passages, if present in compilation)
FAQs
No ritual or procedural vidyā is taught here; the verse functions as an itihāsa battlefield record highlighting decisive combat feats (heroic-strike narration).
By compressing Ramayana’s yuddha episodes into a concise catalog of key events and actors, it shows Agni Purana’s encyclopedic method—summarizing major itihāsa narratives alongside its many technical sections.
The passage underscores dharma’s victory through the defeat of adharmic forces; recalling such episodes is traditionally taken as dharma-smṛti that strengthens righteous resolve and devotion to dharmic exemplars.