Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 35
Chapter 231 — शकुनानि (Śakunāni) | Omens in Governance, Travel, and War
वृषो ऽश्वः कुञ्जरो वापि रिपुसैन्यगतो ऽशुभः खण्डमेघातिवृष्ट्या तु सेना नाशमवाप्नुयात्
vṛṣo 'śvaḥ kuñjaro vāpi ripusainyagato 'śubhaḥ khaṇḍameghātivṛṣṭyā tu senā nāśamavāpnuyāt
Kapag ang toro, kabayo, o maging elepante ay pumasok sa hukbo ng kaaway bilang masamang palatandaan, kung magkakaroon ng labis na pag-ulan mula sa mga ulap na watak-watak at kalat, ang hukbo ay daranas ng pagkapuksa.
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purana’s didactic dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","secondary_vidya":"Jyotisha","practical_application":"Battlefield omen-reading and weather-risk assessment: interpreting animal intrusions and storm patterns as predictors of army morale, cohesion, and potential defeat.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Yuddha-nimitta: inauspicious animal entry and broken-cloud deluge causing army destruction","lookup_keywords":["yuddha-nimitta","ripu-senā","aśubha-śakuna","khaṇḍa-megha","ativṛṣṭi"],"quick_summary":"If bull/horse/elephant appears as an inauspicious sign within the enemy host, and broken scattered clouds bring excessive rain, the omen-complex is read as leading to an army’s destruction."}
Concept: Nimitta plus prakṛti (environmental conditions) together inform prudent action; signs are read alongside material causes like extreme rain.
Application: Delay battle during ativṛṣṭi; secure camp on higher ground; protect weapons and animals; treat omen clusters as triggers for contingency plans.
Khanda Section: Dhanurveda / Rajadharma (Military omens and battlefield portents)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A battlefield with enemy ranks disrupted as a bull/horse/elephant intrudes ominously; above, broken scattered clouds unleash torrential rain, turning ground to mud and foreshadowing army ruin.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, dramatic monsoon sky with segmented clouds, stylized rain bands, chaotic enemy camp with animal intrusion, bold contrasts and rhythmic composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold accents on armor and standards against dark rain clouds, animal crossing into enemy formation, textured rain patterning, ornate frame","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, semi-diagrammatic battlefield showing formations breaking under rain, emphasis on weather effects (mud, slipping animals), refined linework","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, panoramic battle scene with detailed standards and troops, naturalistic rain and cloud fragments, animal intrusion as focal narrative element, nuanced landscape"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Darbari Kanada","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वृषोऽश्वः = वृषः + अश्वः; रिपुसैन्यगतः = रिपु + सैन्य + गतः; गतोऽशुभः = गतः + अशुभः; वापि = वा + अपि; नाशमवाप्नुयात् = नाशम् + अवाप्नुयात्
Related Themes: Agni Purana 231 (military omens and portents)
FAQs
It teaches nimitta-jñāna (omenology) for warfare: certain animal intrusions into an enemy formation and specific weather patterns (scattered-cloud cloudburst rain) are read as indicators of impending army-wide loss.
Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves applied statecraft and military science—here combining battlefield observation, animal-omen lore, and meteorological signs to guide royal decision-making.
By framing war outcomes through auspicious/inauspicious portents, the text implies that collective fate in battle is linked to dharma and unseen karmic forces, urging rulers to act cautiously and righteously when adverse signs appear.