Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 18
Chapter 290 — गजशान्तिः
Gaja-śānti: Elephant-Pacification Rite
तिर्यग्भावं समुत्सृज्य दिव्यं भावमनुस्मर देवासुरे पुरा युद्धे श्रीगजस्त्रिदशैः कृतः
tiryagbhāvaṃ samutsṛjya divyaṃ bhāvamanusmara devāsure purā yuddhe śrīgajastridaśaiḥ kṛtaḥ
حیوانی (پست) مزاج کو ترک کرکے الٰہی حالتِ دل کو یاد کرو۔ دیوتاؤں اور اسوروں کی قدیم جنگ میں ‘شری گج’ کو تریدش دیوتاؤں نے مقرر کیا تھا۔
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"A mental discipline for war-elephants: abandon base impulses, adopt a ‘divine’ composure through recollection; legitimizes the war-elephant as a consecrated instrument in cosmic conflict.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Divine Bhāva (Mental State) for the Śrīgaja in War","lookup_keywords":["divya-bhāva","tiryag-bhāva","deva-asura-yuddha","śrīgaja","anusmaraṇa"],"quick_summary":"The verse prescribes a shift from animal reactivity to a divinized, disciplined mindset through recollection. It grounds the royal war-elephant’s role in the archetype of the deva–asura war, where Śrīgaja is ‘ordained by the gods’."}
Weapon Type: Elephant as battlefield platform and shock unit
Concept: Bhāva-parivartana: transforming instinctive nature through recollection of a higher (divine) identity to act rightly under stress.
Application: Use pre-action visualization and identity-priming (ritual recollection) to stabilize high-risk agents (warriors, guards, mounts) before engagement.
Khanda Section: Dhanurveda / Military Science (divine weapons, war-instructions, protective visualization)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A war-elephant is instructed to abandon animal agitation and assume a radiant, divine composure, recalling its origin in the gods’ ancient war against asuras.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, dramatic deva–asura battlefield with stylized clouds and flames; a luminous elephant at center with a calm eye, gods above bestowing radiance; mahout in disciplined posture; bold reds, greens, and ochres.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central elephant with gold-embossed aura, gods (tridaśa) in upper register granting blessing; battlefield below with subdued asuras; heavy ornamentation and sacred glow.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional scene: guru/mahout gesturing ‘anusmara’ to the elephant; faint overlay of divine imagery (gods) as visualization; fine lines, soft palette, clarity of posture and expression.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, layered narrative: foreground mahout calming elephant, midground battle lines, background celestial assembly; delicate rendering of armor, banners, and expressions; intricate border."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Darbari Kanada","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तिर्यक्+भावम्→तिर्यग्भावम् (क्→ग्); भावम्+अनुस्मर→भावमनुस्मर; श्रीगजः+त्रिदशैः→श्रीगजस्त्रिदशैः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 290.20 (divya-bhāva linked to protection)
FAQs
It teaches a combat-oriented inner discipline: abandon the brutish/animal mentality (tiryagbhāva) and maintain a divine visualization (divya-bhāva-smṛti), linked to the sanctified archetype of the Śrīgaja used/established by the gods for victory in war.
Alongside practical warfare topics (Dhanurveda), it integrates psychological-spiritual technique—mindset cultivation and sacred exemplars (deva–asura war, Śrīgaja)—showing how the Agni Purana fuses military instruction with ritual-theological frameworks.
Replacing a base disposition with a divine state is presented as purification of intention in conflict, aligning action with dharma and invoking protective, deva-sanctioned power rather than mere violence driven by animal impulse.