Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 26
Chapter 13 — कुरुपाण्डवोत्पत्त्यादिकथनं
Narration of the Origin of the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, and Related Matters
सप्ताक्षौहिणीश आसीद्धर्मराजो रणाय सः कृष्णो दूतोब्रवीद् गत्वा दुर्योधनममर्षणम्
saptākṣauhiṇīśa āsīddharmarājo raṇāya saḥ kṛṣṇo dūtobravīd gatvā duryodhanamamarṣaṇam
法王（坚战，Yudhiṣṭhira）统率七支阿叉乌希尼军阵以备战。黑天（克里希那）为使者前往，向暴烈的难敌（Duryodhana）陈辞。
Lord Agni (narrating to sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s dialogic frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","practical_application":"Models statecraft: mobilization accounting (akṣauhiṇī measure) and diplomatic mission (dūta) prior to war.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Akṣauhiṇī-bala & Dūta-nīti (pre-war diplomacy)","lookup_keywords":["saptākṣauhiṇī","Dharma-rāja","Kṛṣṇa dūta","Duryodhana","yuddha-prastāva"],"quick_summary":"Records Pāṇḍava mobilization (seven akṣauhiṇīs) and Kṛṣṇa’s envoy role—showing the classical sequence: diplomacy first, war only after refusal."}
Concept: Yuddha as last resort after sāma (conciliation) via dūta; restraint preceding force.
Application: In governance or conflict resolution: document strength, send a credible envoy, attempt settlement before escalation.
Khanda Section: Itihasa-Samgraha (Mahabharata narrative; Rajadharma & Yuddha-prastava)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Pāṇḍava camp with counted divisions; Kṛṣṇa departing as envoy toward Hastināpura; Duryodhana’s court awaiting the message.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, battlefield camp with banners and elephants, Kṛṣṇa as serene envoy in yellow garments, procession moving toward a stylized Hastināpura court, bold outlines and ritualized faces","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, Kṛṣṇa as dūta centered with gold halo, attendants and chariot, distant court of Duryodhana, heavy gold ornamentation and jewel tones","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional clarity: labeled akṣauhiṇī divisions (elephants, chariots, cavalry, infantry) in neat registers; Kṛṣṇa shown setting out as envoy","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, panoramic camp scene with meticulous troop detail, Kṛṣṇa riding with retinue, architectural rendering of Hastināpura in the background"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सप्ताक्षौहिणीश = सप्त-अक्षौहिणी-ईशः. आसीद्धर्मराजो = आसीत् + धर्मराजः. दूतोब्रवीद् = दूतः + अब्रवीत्. दुर्योधनममर्षणम् = दुर्योधनम् + अमर्षणम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma-related summaries within Itihasa-samgraha
FAQs
It conveys practical statecraft and military knowledge: the akṣauhiṇī system for quantifying armies and the diplomatic role of a dūta (envoy) prior to war.
By summarizing Itihāsa material alongside governance and warfare themes—army organization (military science) and diplomacy (rajadharma)—the Agni Purāṇa integrates narrative history with applied political-military concepts.
It underscores dharmic conduct before conflict: even when war is imminent, righteous parties pursue negotiation through an envoy, aligning action with duty (dharma) to reduce culpability and uphold moral order.