Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 66
अध्याय १ — यजुर्विधानम्
Agni Purana, Chapter 259: Yajur-vidhāna
केतुं कृण्वन्नितीत्येतत् संग्रामे जयवर्धनम् इन्द्रोग्निर्धर्म इत्य् एतद्रणे धर्मनिबन्धनम्
ketuṃ kṛṇvannitītyetat saṃgrāme jayavardhanam indrognirdharma ity etadraṇe dharmanibandhanam
‘కేతుం కృణ్వన్…’ అనే మంత్రం యుద్ధంలో విజయాన్ని వృద్ధి చేస్తుందని చెప్పబడింది. ‘ఇంద్రోఽగ్నిర్ధర్మః…’ అనే మంత్రం రణంలో ధర్మాన్ని బలంగా బంధించే ఆహ్వానం.
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, as the usual frame of the Agni Purāṇa)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Employ victory-augmenting and dharma-binding formulas in battlefield rites—especially around the banner/ensign (ketu) and before engagement—to align martial action with righteous intent.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Mantra","entry_title":"Ketu-karaṇa victory formula and Indra–Agni–Dharma dharma-bandhana in battle","lookup_keywords":["ketuṃ kṛṇvan","saṅgrāma jaya","Indra Agni Dharma","raṇa mantra","dharmanibandhana"],"quick_summary":"A ‘ketu’ (battle standard) mantra is prescribed to increase victory, while an invocation of Indra, Agni, and Dharma is framed as a dharma-binding formula to restrain warfare within righteous limits."}
Weapon Type: Banner/ensign (ketu) as martial implement; implied full battlefield arms.
Concept: Even in warfare, action is to be bound to dharma; victory is sought without abandoning moral restraint.
Application: Adopt explicit rules of engagement and ethical vows before conflict; treat leadership symbols (standards) as carriers of collective responsibility.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Dhanurveda (War rites, victory-mantras, martial ensigns)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king’s army prepares for battle; the standard (ketu) is raised and ritually empowered while priests invoke Indra, Agni, and Dharma; soldiers stand in disciplined ranks.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, heroic battlefield prelude, tall fluttering ketu with auspicious emblems, priest chanting beside a small fire, Indra and Agni suggested in stylized divine motifs above, bold reds and greens, rhythmic troop lines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central royal standard with gold-leaf ornamentation, king in regal attire offering flowers/incense, small agni altar, divine aura motifs for Indra and Agni, rich jewel tones and embossed gold detailing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear instructional scene: banner consecration with labeled objects (ketu, dhvaja-daṇḍa, pātra), troops in orderly formation, restrained palette and fine outlines.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed camp scene with standard-bearers, clerics reciting, horses and armor rendered finely, distant battlefield landscape, delicate textiles and patterned flags."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: kṛṇvannitītyetat = kṛṇvan iti iti etat (orthographic contraction: ...n + iti); indrognirdharma = indraḥ agniḥ dharmaḥ (visarga sandhi and vowel coalescence); etadraṇe = etat raṇe.
Related Themes: Agni Purana sections on rāja-dharma, war rites, and victory-mantras (same khanda context)
FAQs
It teaches brief battlefield mantra-formulas: one connected with raising/establishing the war-banner (ketu) to enhance victory, and another invoking Indra–Agni–Dharma to keep the act of fighting ritually and ethically anchored.
Alongside theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical statecraft and martial material—battlefield procedures, auspicious formulas, and ethical restraints—showing how ritual, warfare, and governance (rajadharma) are treated as integrated disciplines.
By invoking Dharma together with Indra and Agni, the verse frames combat as accountable to righteousness—aiming to reduce adharmic violence and align the warrior’s action with sanctioned duty, thereby shaping karmic outcome through right intention and restraint.