Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 42
Chapter 12 — श्रीहरिवंशवर्णनं (Śrī-Harivaṃśa-varṇana) | The Description of the Sacred Harivaṃśa
तपसा शिवपुत्रो ऽभूत् मायूरध्वजपातितः युद्धं प्राप्स्यसि वाण त्वं वाणं तुष्टः शिवोभ्यधात्
tapasā śivaputro 'bhūt māyūradhvajapātitaḥ yuddhaṃ prāpsyasi vāṇa tvaṃ vāṇaṃ tuṣṭaḥ śivobhyadhāt
Nhờ khổ hạnh (tapas), ông như trở thành con của Śiva; nhưng lại bị kẻ có cờ mang hình chim công đánh gục. Śiva, lòng hoan hỷ, phán với Bāṇa: “Hỡi Bāṇa, ngươi sẽ bước vào chiến trận.”
Lord Agni (narrating the Purāṇic account to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Shows tapas as a means to gain divine favor/boons and frames an inevitable conflict (prophecy of battle). Used in kathā to explain why powerful antagonists receive protections and why divine war unfolds as part of cosmic order.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Bāṇa’s tapas, Śiva’s favor, and the battle-foretelling","lookup_keywords":["Bāṇa","tapas","Śiva","Skanda (Mayūra-dhvaja)","battle prophecy"],"quick_summary":"Bāṇa gains Śiva’s special favor through austerity, yet is destined to be struck by the peacock-bannered deity; Śiva, pleased, foretells that Bāṇa will enter battle. The entry links tapas, boon, and karmic consequence."}
Alamkara Type: Virodha (apparent contradiction): ‘son of Śiva’ yet ‘struck down’
Weapon Type: Spear (śakti) implied for Skanda; bannered warfare imagery
Concept: Tapas can yield proximity to divinity, but boons do not erase the unfolding of larger dharma and consequence.
Application: Encourages disciplined practice while warning against pride: spiritual attainments should align with dharma, otherwise power culminates in conflict.
Khanda Section: Itihasa-Puranic Narrative (Shiva–Skanda–Bana episode; boon and war prophecy)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Bāṇa performing severe tapas; Śiva appears pleased and grants a boon/prophecy; Skanda with peacock banner is shown as the destined striker in a foreshadowed vignette.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, left: Bāṇa in tapas amid flames/austerity symbols; center: Śiva with halo in varada mudrā; right: Skanda with peacock banner and spear, dynamic stance; bold colors, stylized nature motifs.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Śiva central with gold halo and ornaments, Bāṇa kneeling in devotion, Skanda with peacock emblem in a side panel, rich gold work emphasizing divine presence and boon-granting.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, manuscript-like clarity: sequential scenes (tapas → boon → battle-foreshadow), fine linework, readable gestures (añjali, varada), peacock banner clearly rendered.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, ascetic landscape with detailed rocks/trees, Śiva appearing in luminous aura, Bāṇa as regal devotee, Skanda as martial youth with peacock standard, subtle narrative foreshadowing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शिवपुत्रो ऽभूत् → शिवपुत्रः अभूत्; शिवोभ्यधात् → शिवः अभ्यधात्
Related Themes: Agni Purana 12 (Bāṇa episode continuation)
FAQs
It emphasizes tapas (austerity) as a means to gain divine favor and boons, and frames a boon as carrying consequential outcomes (here, the inevitability of warfare).
Alongside ritual and technical chapters, the Agni Purana preserves Itihasa-Puranic narratives that teach causality of boons, divine intervention, and mythic identifiers (like “peacock-bannered” for Skanda), integrating theology with moral instruction.
The verse conveys that austerity can elevate one to intimate divine status, yet karmic consequences remain: even divinely favored beings may face destined conflict, underscoring responsibility attached to power and boons.