Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 18
कुरुपाण्डवसङ्ग्रामवर्णनम्
Description of the War between the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas
शल्यो दिनार्धं युयुधे ह्य् अबधीत्तं युधिष्ठिरः युयुधे भीमसेनेन हतसैन्यः सुयोधनः
śalyo dinārdhaṃ yuyudhe hy abadhīttaṃ yudhiṣṭhiraḥ yuyudhe bhīmasenena hatasainyaḥ suyodhanaḥ
ศัลยะรบอยู่ครึ่งวัน แล้วพระยุธิษฐิระก็สังหารเขาแน่นอน ส่วนสุโยธนะ (ทุรโยธนะ) เมื่อกองทัพถูกทำลายแล้ว ก็เข้าต่อสู้กับภีมเสน।
Lord Agni (narrating Purāṇic/Itihāsa material to Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s discourse frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","practical_application":"Summarizes successive command-level engagements: Śalya’s half-day fight and death by Yudhiṣṭhira, then Duryodhana’s last stand with Bhīma—useful for sequencing the war’s terminal phase.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Terminal phase of war: Śalya-vadha and Duryodhana–Bhīma encounter","lookup_keywords":["Shalya","Yudhishthira","Suyodhana","Bhimasena","dinar-dham"],"quick_summary":"Gives a time-stamped account: Śalya fights for half a day and is slain by Yudhiṣṭhira; thereafter Duryodhana, with forces destroyed, engages Bhīma."}
Alamkara Type: Kala-pariccheda (time segmentation)
Weapon Type: Implied standard battlefield arms; later gada-duel context foreshadowed
Concept: The collapse of armies culminates in personal accountability—leaders face direct consequence when collective power is exhausted.
Application: In governance and conflict, responsibility concentrates at the top; prepare for decisive moments when support structures fail.
Khanda Section: Itihasa–Mahabharata-katha (Dharma-yuddha narrative within Purana-style retelling)
Primary Rasa: Vira
Secondary Rasa: Raudra
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Two linked scenes: Śalya’s combat ending with Yudhiṣṭhira’s victory; then a depleted battlefield where Duryodhana stands with few remnants facing Bhīma.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural diptych composition; left: Śalya in chariot combat, right: Bhīma confronting Suyodhana; expressive gestures, swirling dust, strong outlines, heroic scale figures.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold accents on royal insignia; Yudhiṣṭhira shown composed yet resolute; Duryodhana isolated with broken banners; Bhīma powerful stance; ornate frame emphasizing dharma-yuddha gravitas.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, sequential narrative clarity; half-day indicated by sun at mid-sky; then later scene with scattered weapons and fallen standards; figures rendered with calm precision.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, crowded first scene thinning into sparse second scene; accurate chariots, horses, and armor; atmospheric perspective showing battlefield exhaustion."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दिनार्धम् = दिन-अर्धम्; ह्यबधीत् = हि + अबधीत्; अबधीत्तम् = अबधीत् + तम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Mahabharata-sangraha continuation (post-Karna sequence); Agni Purana Dhanurveda: gada and duel conduct (where treated)
FAQs
This verse conveys Itihāsa-based kṣatriya-yuddha context—key battle outcomes (Śalya’s death and Duryodhana’s final engagement), rather than a ritual or medical procedure.
By incorporating a concise Mahābhārata battlefield recap, the Agni Purana functions as a compendium that preserves Itihāsa narrative alongside its many other domains (ritual, polity, arts, and sciences).
It underscores the moral gravity of dharma-yuddha: outcomes hinge on destiny and dharma, and the destruction of armies highlights the karmic cost of adharma-driven conflict.