Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 19
Chapter 13 — कुरुपाण्डवोत्पत्त्यादिकथनं
Narration of the Origin of the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, and Related Matters
भ्रात्रा दुःशासनेनोक्तः कर्णेन प्राप्तभूतिना द्यूतकार्ये शकुनिना द्यूतेन स युधिष्ठिरम्
bhrātrā duḥśāsanenoktaḥ karṇena prāptabhūtinā dyūtakārye śakuninā dyūtena sa yudhiṣṭhiram
Bị người anh Duḥśāsana xúi giục, và được Karṇa—kẻ đã có thế lực và phú quý—hậu thuẫn, hắn dùng Śakuni làm kẻ điều hành việc cờ bạc, rồi thách đấu Yudhiṣṭhira bằng một ván xúc xắc.
Agni (narrating puranic-itihasa material to Vasiṣṭha, as per common Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Serves as a cautionary case-study: gambling (dyūta) as a political weapon engineered by agents (Śakuni) and fueled by factional incitement—warning rulers against vice-based vulnerabilities.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Dyūta as political stratagem: incitement, proxy-agent, and challenge protocol","lookup_keywords":["dyūta","Śakuni","Duḥśāsana","Karṇa","Yudhiṣṭhira"],"quick_summary":"The verse outlines how a rival faction orchestrates a dice match through instigation and an expert agent, turning a vice into a tool for dispossession and conflict escalation."}
Concept: Adharma spreads through bad counsel and institutionalized vice; a king’s weakness (addiction/compulsion) becomes an entry point for political ruin.
Application: Rulers should prohibit/strictly regulate gambling, avoid provocations, and recognize ‘agent-based’ traps set by adversaries.
Khanda Section: Itihasa-Katha (Mahabharata episode: Dyuta / Rajadharma cautionary narrative)
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A tense dice hall: Śakuni as the calculating dice-player, Duryodhana backed by Duḥśāsana and Karṇa, challenging Yudhiṣṭhira into the game.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized sabhā with bold outlines, Śakuni casting dice, Yudhiṣṭhira seated solemnly, Duḥśāsana leaning forward urging, Karṇa standing confident, dramatic color blocks","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-embossed court pillars and ornaments, central dice board highlighted, Śakuni’s hand mid-throw, Yudhiṣṭhira calm yet strained, antagonists richly adorned","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear narrative staging: dice board, gestures of instigation, facial expressions; architectural interior rendered neatly for instructional storytelling","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed palace hall with carpets, courtiers in profile, Śakuni focused on dice, Yudhiṣṭhira opposite, Duḥśāsana and Karṇa behind Duryodhana, subtle tension in posture"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दुःशासनेनोक्तः = दुःशासनेन + उक्तः; द्रोणात्सर्वे (पूर्वश्लोके) इव, अत्र सन्धिः न्यूनः; 'स युधिष्ठिरम्' = सः + युधिष्ठिरम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 13.18
FAQs
No ritual-vidyā is taught here; the verse conveys practical rajadharma-ethics by depicting dyūta (gambling) as a politically engineered instrument used to ensnare a rival.
By incorporating Itihāsa material (Mahābhārata synopsis) alongside dharma and governance themes, the Agni Purana functions as a compendium—using narrative case-studies to illustrate political strategy, moral decline, and social consequences.
It highlights how instigation, deceit, and addiction-driven dyūta become causes (hetu) for adharma and future suffering—warning that unethical means used to defeat others generate heavy karmic repercussions.