Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 5
Somavaṃśa-saṃkṣepaḥ
Conclusion of the Lunar Dynasty Description
दत्तो ऽर्जुनाय तपते सप्तद्वीपमहीशताम् ददौ बाहुसहस्रञ्च अजेयत्वं रणे ऽरिणा
datto 'rjunāya tapate saptadvīpamahīśatām dadau bāhusahasrañca ajeyatvaṃ raṇe 'riṇā
اس نے تپسوی ارجن کو سات دیپوں سمیت زمین کی فرمانروائی عطا کی؛ اور میدانِ جنگ میں دشمنوں کے مقابل ہزار بازو اور ناقابلِ شکست ہونے کا वरदान بھی دیا۔
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s discourse frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","practical_application":"Illustrates the Purāṇic motif of boons (vara) granting extraordinary martial capacity and imperial sovereignty; used to explain a king’s superhuman prowess and later ethical downfall.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Boons to Arjuna: Saptadvīpa Sovereignty, Thousand Arms, Invincibility","lookup_keywords":["Kārtavīrya Arjuna","sahasrabāhu","ajeayatva","saptadvīpa","vara"],"quick_summary":"Arjuna receives cosmic-scale kingship and superhuman arms, making him unconquerable in battle. The entry frames power as a granted capacity, not merely personal merit."}
Alamkara Type: Atishayokti
Weapon Type: Multiple weapons implied (bow, sword, mace, spear) via thousand arms
Concept: Power as a bestowed, contingent gift; extraordinary capability does not guarantee righteousness.
Application: Ethics of power: treat authority and strength as stewardship; cultivate restraint to avoid downfall.
Khanda Section: Itihasa-Puranic Narratives (Dana-Vira-Charita / Gifts and Boons in Epic Lore)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: Cosmology
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An ascetic Arjuna receiving boons: a radiant giver (sage/deity) grants a crown-like sovereignty symbol; Arjuna manifests a thousand arms, each holding weapons, standing on a map-like seven-continent earth.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, central sahasrabāhu Arjuna with many arms in rhythmic arcs, boon-giver seated in tapas posture, stylized saptadvīpa mandala beneath, bold outlines and saturated greens/ochres.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, heavy gold work on Arjuna’s crown and ornaments, many arms with jeweled weapons, haloed boon-giver, embossed gold saptadvīpa motif at the base.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, refined multi-arm anatomy, clear depiction of different weapons, didactic labeling feel, soft palette with precise detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intricate rendering of many arms and weapons, courtly-boon scene in a pavilion, cartographic saptadvīpa medallion, fine borders and calligraphy panels."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दत्तः + अर्जुनाय → दत्तोऽर्जुनाय; बाहुसहस्रम् + च → बाहुसहस्रञ्च; रणे + अरिणा → रणेऽरिणा
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Kārtavīrya narrative continuation (274.6–274.7)
FAQs
It conveys the results of tapas (austerity) in narrative form—attainment of sovereignty, superhuman power (thousand arms), and ajeyatva (invincibility) as boons.
Alongside rituals and sciences, the Agni Purana preserves epic-style exempla that explain karmic causality and the economy of boons—linking ascetic practice to worldly power, martial success, and cosmological kingship (saptadvīpa).
The verse frames extraordinary attainments as fruits of disciplined austerity, implying that power and victory are ethically conditioned outcomes rather than mere chance.