Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 42
Rājanīti (Statecraft): Ṣaḍvidha-bala, Vyūha-vidhāna, and Strategic Warfare
कोटी च व्यूहशास्त्रज्ञैः सप्ताङ्गो व्यूह उच्यते उरस्यकक्षपक्षास्तु व्यूहो ऽयं सप्रतिग्रहः
koṭī ca vyūhaśāstrajñaiḥ saptāṅgo vyūha ucyate urasyakakṣapakṣāstu vyūho 'yaṃ sapratigrahaḥ
وِیوہ شاستر کے ماہرین ‘کوٹی’ نامی وِیوہ کو سات اعضاء والا قرار دیتے ہیں۔ یہ وِیوہ اُرَس، کَکشا اور پَکش کے ساتھ، اور پرتیگرہ (حملہ جذب کرنے) کے لیے بنایا گیا ہے۔
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the Agni Purana’s standard dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Design and deploy the koṭī formation as a seven-limbed array using body-part analogies to assign functional sectors (center, flanks, wings, receiving/absorbing line).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Koṭī: Saptāṅga Vyūha with Uras–Kakṣā–Pakṣa and Pratigraha","lookup_keywords":["koṭī-vyūha","saptāṅga","uras","kakṣā","pakṣa","pratigraha"],"quick_summary":"Defines the koṭī as a seven-part battle-array whose limbs are mapped to torso regions; it is characterized as ‘receiving’—built to absorb and stabilize against an enemy thrust."}
Alamkara Type: Rupaka
Concept: Systems thinking: a formation succeeds when its limbs are functionally differentiated yet coordinated, especially the ‘receiving’/stabilizing limb.
Application: In any organized defense (military/security), define center, flanks, wings, and a dedicated holding line to absorb shocks.
Khanda Section: Dhanurveda (Vyuhashastra—Ancient Indian military formations)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A battlefield diagram brought to life: troops arranged as a torso-shaped array—central ‘chest’, flanks as ‘armpits’, wings extended, and a reinforced receiving line absorbing an enemy charge.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized army as a human-torso-shaped formation, bold silhouettes of infantry/elephants, labeled limbs (uras, kakṣā, pakṣa, pratigraha), dramatic yet orderly composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-highlighted banners marking the seven limbs, central commander at ‘uras’, wings fanning out, enemy wave meeting the ‘pratigraha’ line, rich ornamentation","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, semi-diagrammatic battlefield with clear sector boundaries, labels for seven limbs, instructors demonstrating koṭī deployment, clean geometry","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, panoramic battle array with calligraphic labels, disciplined ranks forming a torso-like outline, enemy cavalry pressing into the receiving line, intricate detail"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: urasyakakṣapakṣāḥ+tu → उरस्यकक्षपक्षास्तु; vyūhaḥ+ayam → व्यूहोऽयं (visarga + a → o’).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 241.41 (torso-region terminology reused as vyūha limbs); Agni Purana 241.40 (gap-management to perfect vyūha)
FAQs
It teaches Dhanurveda’s vyūha-vidyā by defining the Koṭī battle-array as a seven-part formation with a central core (uras), supporting flanks (kakṣa), and wings (pakṣa), explicitly suited for receiving and resisting an enemy attack (pratigraha).
Beyond theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves practical statecraft and warfare knowledge; this verse gives a technical taxonomy of battlefield formations, showing the text’s coverage of strategic and martial sciences alongside religious instruction.
While primarily tactical, such instruction is traditionally framed as part of righteous kingship (dharma of protection): using disciplined formations to defend society and minimize chaos supports the ruler’s dharma and reduces adharma-driven violence.