Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 42
Chapter 12 — श्रीहरिवंशवर्णनं (Śrī-Harivaṃśa-varṇana) | The Description of the Sacred Harivaṃśa
तपसा शिवपुत्रो ऽभूत् मायूरध्वजपातितः युद्धं प्राप्स्यसि वाण त्वं वाणं तुष्टः शिवोभ्यधात्
tapasā śivaputro 'bhūt māyūradhvajapātitaḥ yuddhaṃ prāpsyasi vāṇa tvaṃ vāṇaṃ tuṣṭaḥ śivobhyadhāt
तपसा स शिवपुत्र इवाभूत्, मायूरध्वजपातितश्च। तुष्टः शिवो बाणं प्रति—“युद्धं प्राप्स्यसि त्वम्, हे बाण” इत्यभ्यधात्।
Lord Agni (narrating the Purāṇic account to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Shows tapas as a means to gain divine favor/boons and frames an inevitable conflict (prophecy of battle). Used in kathā to explain why powerful antagonists receive protections and why divine war unfolds as part of cosmic order.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Bāṇa’s tapas, Śiva’s favor, and the battle-foretelling","lookup_keywords":["Bāṇa","tapas","Śiva","Skanda (Mayūra-dhvaja)","battle prophecy"],"quick_summary":"Bāṇa gains Śiva’s special favor through austerity, yet is destined to be struck by the peacock-bannered deity; Śiva, pleased, foretells that Bāṇa will enter battle. The entry links tapas, boon, and karmic consequence."}
Alamkara Type: Virodha (apparent contradiction): ‘son of Śiva’ yet ‘struck down’
Weapon Type: Spear (śakti) implied for Skanda; bannered warfare imagery
Concept: Tapas can yield proximity to divinity, but boons do not erase the unfolding of larger dharma and consequence.
Application: Encourages disciplined practice while warning against pride: spiritual attainments should align with dharma, otherwise power culminates in conflict.
Khanda Section: Itihasa-Puranic Narrative (Shiva–Skanda–Bana episode; boon and war prophecy)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Bāṇa performing severe tapas; Śiva appears pleased and grants a boon/prophecy; Skanda with peacock banner is shown as the destined striker in a foreshadowed vignette.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, left: Bāṇa in tapas amid flames/austerity symbols; center: Śiva with halo in varada mudrā; right: Skanda with peacock banner and spear, dynamic stance; bold colors, stylized nature motifs.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Śiva central with gold halo and ornaments, Bāṇa kneeling in devotion, Skanda with peacock emblem in a side panel, rich gold work emphasizing divine presence and boon-granting.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, manuscript-like clarity: sequential scenes (tapas → boon → battle-foreshadow), fine linework, readable gestures (añjali, varada), peacock banner clearly rendered.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, ascetic landscape with detailed rocks/trees, Śiva appearing in luminous aura, Bāṇa as regal devotee, Skanda as martial youth with peacock standard, subtle narrative foreshadowing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शिवपुत्रो ऽभूत् → शिवपुत्रः अभूत्; शिवोभ्यधात् → शिवः अभ्यधात्
Related Themes: Agni Purana 12 (Bāṇa episode continuation)
FAQs
It emphasizes tapas (austerity) as a means to gain divine favor and boons, and frames a boon as carrying consequential outcomes (here, the inevitability of warfare).
Alongside ritual and technical chapters, the Agni Purana preserves Itihasa-Puranic narratives that teach causality of boons, divine intervention, and mythic identifiers (like “peacock-bannered” for Skanda), integrating theology with moral instruction.
The verse conveys that austerity can elevate one to intimate divine status, yet karmic consequences remain: even divinely favored beings may face destined conflict, underscoring responsibility attached to power and boons.