Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 17
Chapter 13 — कुरुपाण्डवोत्पत्त्यादिकथनं
Narration of the Origin of the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, and Related Matters
कृष्णेन सो ऽर्जुनो वह्निं खाण्डवे समतर्पयत् इन्द्रवृष्टिं वारयंश् च शरवर्षेण पाण्डवः
kṛṣṇena so 'rjuno vahniṃ khāṇḍave samatarpayat indravṛṣṭiṃ vārayaṃś ca śaravarṣeṇa pāṇḍavaḥ
Nhờ sự trợ lực của Kṛṣṇa, vị Pāṇḍava ấy—Arjuna—đã làm cho Agni (Vahni) được thỏa mãn trọn vẹn trong rừng Khāṇḍava; và ông ngăn cơn mưa của Indra bằng một trận mưa tên.
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana frame: Agni instructing Sage Vasiṣṭha; verse narrates an Itihāsa episode)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","practical_application":"Demonstrates coordinated operations: ally support (Kṛṣṇa), objective protection (feeding Agni), and counter-weather suppression via massed archery—an archetype for battlefield denial tactics.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Khāṇḍava-dāha: Agni-tarpaṇa and Indra-vṛṣṭi-nirodha by śara-varṣa","lookup_keywords":["Khāṇḍava","Agni-tarpaṇa","Indra-vṛṣṭi","śara-varṣa","Arjuna-Krishna"],"quick_summary":"Arjuna, supported by Kṛṣṇa, enables Agni’s consumption of Khāṇḍava by neutralizing Indra’s rain through continuous arrow-barrage—showing tactical countermeasures against environmental interference."}
Alamkara Type: Rupaka (arrow-rain as literal ‘rain’), Atiśayokti (hyperbolic martial feat)
Weapon Type: Bow (massed arrows)
Concept: Sāhāyya (right support) amplifies capacity; steadfast execution sustains a vowed objective against powerful obstruction.
Application: In high-stakes tasks, secure a capable ally and maintain continuous protective action against predictable counterforces.
Khanda Section: Itihasa–Purana Kathana (Mahabharata narrative: Khāṇḍava-dāha episode; Dhanurveda context via archery imagery)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: Forest
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A blazing Khāṇḍava forest with Agni consuming it; Arjuna on chariot with Kṛṣṇa, releasing a dense rain of arrows that forms a canopy blocking Indra’s rainclouds.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, dramatic red-orange flames, Agni personified within fire, Arjuna and Krishna on chariot shooting upward, stylized rainclouds of Indra held back by arrow-curtain, bold contours","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold flames and gilded arrow arcs, Krishna as charioteer with halo, Indra on elephant in clouds, ornate borders, luminous contrast","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear layered scene: forest grid, fire spread, arrow trajectories forming a shield, Indra’s rain shown as dotted lines stopped midair; refined linework","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, panoramic forest fire with detailed trees, Arjuna’s arrow volleys as patterned diagonals, Indra in cloud bank above, Krishna driving, fine naturalistic palette"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"fast","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सो ऽर्जुनो = सः + अर्जुनः; इन्द्रवृष्टिं = इन्द्रवृष्टिम्; वारयंश् च = वारयन् + च.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 13.15; Agni Purana 13.16
FAQs
The verse highlights a Dhanurveda-style tactic in epic language: using continuous, dense arrow-fire (śaravarṣa) to counter an environmental/hostile force (Indra’s rain), while aiding Agni’s consumption of the forest.
It shows the Agni Purana blending Itihāsa (Mahābhārata episodes) with thematic pointers to warfare science (archery strategy) and divine cosmology (Indra vs. Agni), demonstrating its multi-genre, compendium-like structure.
Spiritually, the passage frames devoted assistance to a deity’s cosmic function—Agni’s consuming/purifying power—as a meritorious act, while portraying dharmic heroism: steadfast protection of a vowed undertaking against divine obstruction.