Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 14
Chapter 340 — नृत्यादावङ्गकर्मनिरूपणम्
Explanation of Bodily Actions in Dance and Performance
अर्धचन्द्रोत्करालश् च शुकतुण्डस्तथैव च सुष्टिश् च शिखरश् चैव कपित्थः खेटकामुखः
ardhacandrotkarālaś ca śukatuṇḍastathaiva ca suṣṭiś ca śikharaś caiva kapitthaḥ kheṭakāmukhaḥ
(ان اسلحہ نما صورتوں کے نام) اردھ چندروتکرال، شک تُنڈ؛ نیز سُشٹی اور شِکھر؛ اور کپتھّہ اور کھےٹکامُکھ ہیں۔
Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s encyclopedic instruction)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Weapon-identification and standardized nomenclature for training, inventory, and battlefield communication; also guides smiths/armourers in shaping specific blade/edge profiles.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Astra/Śastra-ākṛti-nāmāni: Ardhacandra-utkarāla etc.","lookup_keywords":["Ardhacandra-utkarāla","Śukatuṇḍa","Suṣṭi","Śikhara","Kapittha","Kheṭakāmukha"],"quick_summary":"Enumerates recognized weapon-forms by technical names; useful for matching a weapon’s silhouette/edge-profile to its proper designation in Dhanurveda practice."}
Weapon Type: Edged/formed weapons (śastra/yantra-forms) classified by silhouette; likely blade-head or projectile-head profiles.
Concept: Nāma–rūpa correspondence in applied sciences: correct naming enables correct use.
Application: Use agreed terminology to avoid error in training, procurement, and deployment.
Khanda Section: Dhanurveda (Weapon-science) – Astras and their classified names/forms
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A weapons-master displays a rack of differently shaped weapon-heads/blades labeled with their technical names: crescent (ardhacandra), beak-like (śukatuṇḍa), peak-like (śikhara), fruit-like (kapittha), and shield-mouth-like (kheṭakāmukha).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm earthy palette, a gurukula weapons hall, guru pointing to a crescent-shaped blade-head and beak-shaped head, palm-leaf labels in Sanskrit, flat iconic figures, ornamental borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf highlights on weapon rack and inscriptions, central guru figure with stylized weapons arranged symmetrically, rich reds and greens, embossed ornaments.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, fine linework, instructional diagram feel, each weapon-form neatly separated with Devanagari labels, muted pastel background, delicate shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed armory interior, attendants holding labeled weapon-heads, precise rendering of metal textures, calligraphic captions, architectural depth."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अर्धचन्द्रोत्करालश्→अर्धचन्द्रोत्करालः; शुकतुण्डस्तथैव→शुकतुण्डः तथा एव; सुष्टिश्→सुष्टिः; शिखरश्→शिखरः; चैव→च एव.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 340 (Dhanurveda: śastra/āstra-nāma-bheda sections)
FAQs
This verse imparts Dhanurveda taxonomy—an enumeration of specific named weapon-forms (astra/weapon-head or formation names) used to classify and teach martial techniques.
By preserving specialized military vocabulary (lists of astra names and forms), it functions like a technical manual embedded within a Purana, alongside other disciplines such as ritual, polity, medicine, and poetics.
In the Agni Purana’s framing, disciplined knowledge of dharma-aligned protection and warfare supports righteous order (dharma-rakṣaṇa); mastering such vidyā is presented as part of responsible kingship and ethical defense.