Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 17
Chapter 9 — श्रीरामावतारकथनम् (Śrī Rāmāvatāra-kathanam) | Hanumān’s Ocean-Crossing, Sītā-Darśana, and the Setu Plan
हत्वातु किङ्करान् सर्वान् सप्त मन्त्रिसुतानपि पुत्रमक्षं कुमारञ्च शक्रजिच्च बबन्ध तम्
hatvātu kiṅkarān sarvān sapta mantrisutānapi putramakṣaṃ kumārañca śakrajicca babandha tam
Matapos patayin ang lahat ng mga tagapaglingkod at pati ang pitong anak ng mga ministro, ginapos niya si Akṣa, ang prinsipe—kasama si Śakrajit (Indrajit).
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha, in the Agni Purana’s puranic retelling style)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","practical_application":"Shows escalation from skirmish to high-value target engagement; illustrates capture/binding of an enemy prince after defeating multiple units—useful as a narrative exemplar of battlefield sequencing.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Enemies defeated and the binding of Akṣa and Śakrajit (Indrajit)","lookup_keywords":["kinkara slain","seven ministers sons","Aksha bound","Shakrajit Indrajit","Hanuman capture"],"quick_summary":"After defeating successive enemy contingents—attendants and ministerial sons—Hanumān binds the prince Akṣa and also Śakrajit/Indrajit, marking a shift from destruction to strategic capture."}
Alamkara Type: Saṅkhyā (enumeration)
Weapon Type: Binding/capture methods (pāśa/rajjū implied)
Concept: Strategic restraint: not every encounter ends in killing; capture can serve higher mission goals (communication, leverage, lawful confrontation).
Application: In conflict management, prioritize outcomes that advance the objective—sometimes restraint and detention are more effective than elimination.
Khanda Section: Itihasa–Ramayana Narrative (Yuddha-kanda episodes within Agni Purana’s encyclopedic retelling)
Primary Rasa: veera
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A battlefield sequence: fallen kinkaras and ministerial sons; Hanumān stands powerful, binding the prince Akṣa and also Śakrajit/Indrajit, with Laṅkā’s royal setting looming behind.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, narrative frieze: multiple defeated figures, Hanumān binding a royal warrior, bold contours, rhythmic repetition to show enumeration, intense vīra-raudra palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central Hanumān with gold leaf aura, bound prince in ornate armor, decorative battlefield elements, rich jewel tones, stylized symmetry despite action","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear labeled grouping of foes (attendants, minister-sons, prince), focus on binding technique, soft coloration and precise linework","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, crowded action scene with detailed armor and textiles, Hanumān binding a prince, attendants strewn, palace architecture and courtiers in background, fine brush detail"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"fast","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: hatvātu = hatvā + tu; mantrisutānapi = mantrisutān + api; kumārañca = kumāram + ca (m + c → ñc); śakrajicca = śakrajit + ca (t + c → cc).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 9 (Hanumān’s Laṅkā exploits leading to confrontation with Rāvaṇa)
FAQs
This verse is narrative rather than instructional; it conveys wartime action—defeating enemies and taking key figures captive (bandhana), a common motif in epic battle literature rather than a ritual or medical vidyā.
By embedding condensed epic history (Itihāsa/Rāmāyaṇa-style battle episodes) alongside other disciplines, the Agni Purana functions as a compendium that preserves narrative tradition in addition to ritual, polity, and śāstric topics.
As an epic narration, it underscores the karmic theme that adharma-aligned forces and their allies are overcome; restraint/capture of hostile powers symbolizes the curbing of destructive tendencies and the restoration of dharmic order.