Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 26
Chapter 13 — कुरुपाण्डवोत्पत्त्यादिकथनं
Narration of the Origin of the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, and Related Matters
सप्ताक्षौहिणीश आसीद्धर्मराजो रणाय सः कृष्णो दूतोब्रवीद् गत्वा दुर्योधनममर्षणम्
saptākṣauhiṇīśa āsīddharmarājo raṇāya saḥ kṛṣṇo dūtobravīd gatvā duryodhanamamarṣaṇam
स धर्मराजः रणाय सप्ताक्षौहिणीशः आसीत्; कृष्णो दूतः सन् गत्वा अमर्षणं दुर्योधनं प्रति अब्रवीत्।
Lord Agni (narrating to sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s dialogic frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","practical_application":"Models statecraft: mobilization accounting (akṣauhiṇī measure) and diplomatic mission (dūta) prior to war.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Akṣauhiṇī-bala & Dūta-nīti (pre-war diplomacy)","lookup_keywords":["saptākṣauhiṇī","Dharma-rāja","Kṛṣṇa dūta","Duryodhana","yuddha-prastāva"],"quick_summary":"Records Pāṇḍava mobilization (seven akṣauhiṇīs) and Kṛṣṇa’s envoy role—showing the classical sequence: diplomacy first, war only after refusal."}
Concept: Yuddha as last resort after sāma (conciliation) via dūta; restraint preceding force.
Application: In governance or conflict resolution: document strength, send a credible envoy, attempt settlement before escalation.
Khanda Section: Itihasa-Samgraha (Mahabharata narrative; Rajadharma & Yuddha-prastava)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Pāṇḍava camp with counted divisions; Kṛṣṇa departing as envoy toward Hastināpura; Duryodhana’s court awaiting the message.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, battlefield camp with banners and elephants, Kṛṣṇa as serene envoy in yellow garments, procession moving toward a stylized Hastināpura court, bold outlines and ritualized faces","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, Kṛṣṇa as dūta centered with gold halo, attendants and chariot, distant court of Duryodhana, heavy gold ornamentation and jewel tones","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional clarity: labeled akṣauhiṇī divisions (elephants, chariots, cavalry, infantry) in neat registers; Kṛṣṇa shown setting out as envoy","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, panoramic camp scene with meticulous troop detail, Kṛṣṇa riding with retinue, architectural rendering of Hastināpura in the background"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सप्ताक्षौहिणीश = सप्त-अक्षौहिणी-ईशः. आसीद्धर्मराजो = आसीत् + धर्मराजः. दूतोब्रवीद् = दूतः + अब्रवीत्. दुर्योधनममर्षणम् = दुर्योधनम् + अमर्षणम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma-related summaries within Itihasa-samgraha
FAQs
It conveys practical statecraft and military knowledge: the akṣauhiṇī system for quantifying armies and the diplomatic role of a dūta (envoy) prior to war.
By summarizing Itihāsa material alongside governance and warfare themes—army organization (military science) and diplomacy (rajadharma)—the Agni Purāṇa integrates narrative history with applied political-military concepts.
It underscores dharmic conduct before conflict: even when war is imminent, righteous parties pursue negotiation through an envoy, aligning action with duty (dharma) to reduce culpability and uphold moral order.