Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 13
Adhyāya 361 — अव्ययवर्गः
Avyaya-vargaḥ) — The Section on Indeclinables (Colophon/Closure
यन्ता हस्तिपके सूते वह्निज्वाला च हेतयः स्रुतं शास्त्रावधृतयोर्युगपर्याप्तयोः कृतं
yantā hastipake sūte vahnijvālā ca hetayaḥ srutaṃ śāstrāvadhṛtayoryugaparyāptayoḥ kṛtaṃ
“Yantrā” (người điều khiển) chỉ người quản tượng (hastipaka) và người đánh xe (sūta). Các vũ khí ví như những lưỡi lửa (vahni-jvālā). Điều này đã được truyền thừa như truyền thống và được các luận thư có thẩm quyền xác lập—được biên định là đầy đủ cho việc ứng dụng đúng đắn, dù trải qua những thời kỳ dài (yuga).
Lord Agni (in dialogue with Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Identifies technical roles (elephant-driver, charioteer) under ‘yantrā/controller’ and frames weapons as fire-tongues; asserts transmission by tradition and śāstra—supporting standardized military training and doctrine continuity.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Yantrā (controller) roles and śāstra-authorized weapon doctrine","lookup_keywords":["yantrā","hastipaka","sūta","hetayaḥ (weapons)","śāstra-avadhr̥ta"],"quick_summary":"Explains ‘yantrā’ as the controller/driver—elephant-driver and charioteer—and poetically characterizes weapons as flames; emphasizes that the doctrine is traditional and fixed by authoritative treatises for long-term applicability."}
Alamkara Type: Rupaka
Weapon Type: General (hetayaḥ: weapons)
Concept: Śāstra-pramāṇya and paramparā: validated tradition codified for enduring right practice (yuga-paryāpta).
Application: Grounds military practice in authoritative manuals and lineage transmission, encouraging standard drills and role-specialization rather than ad hoc fighting.
Khanda Section: Dhanurveda (Military Science and Weaponry)
Primary Rasa: Vira
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A battlefield training ground: an elephant-driver (hastipaka) guiding a war elephant with goad, a charioteer (sūta) controlling horses and reins; weapons in soldiers’ hands are depicted as flame-tongues; a teacher holds a manuscript indicating śāstra authorization and tradition.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: dynamic elephant and chariot scene with bold outlines; flaming weapons stylized like Agni’s tongues; a guru with palm-leaf text in corner; flat background with decorative borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: richly ornamented war elephant and chariot with gold highlights; flames rendered with gold-red accents; authoritative teacher figure with manuscript; symmetrical composition.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional war-craft plate—clear depiction of hastipaka tools (aṅkuśa), sūta reins and posture, labeled roles; controlled flames on weapons; muted palette for clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: detailed cavalry-chariot-elephant corps scene; charioteer in fine garments, elephant-driver atop elephant; weapons painted with stylized flame motifs; a scribe/teacher with a treatise scroll at the margin."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शास्त्रावधृतयोर् → शास्त्र-अवधृतयोः; योर्युग- → योः युग- (visarga sandhi).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Dhanurveda chapters on chariots, elephants, and weapon classifications; Agni Purana sections asserting śāstra authority and paramparā in other vidyās
FAQs
It defines battlefield technical roles—operators/controllers (yantrā) identified with the elephant-driver and charioteer—and characterizes weapons as intensely destructive, while grounding this doctrine in transmitted tradition and śāstra-based military instruction.
It shows the Agni Purana functioning like a technical compendium: alongside theology and ritual, it preserves practical military science (Dhanurveda), naming specific corps roles (elephant and chariot units) and asserting a treatise-backed standardization of knowledge.
By emphasizing śāstra-validated discipline and correct roles, it implies that even martial action should be regulated by authoritative dharmic-technical norms—reducing disorder and aligning conduct with prescribed duty rather than impulsive violence.