Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 33
Adhyāya 361 — अव्ययवर्गः
Avyaya-vargaḥ) — The Section on Indeclinables (Colophon/Closure
दुरोदरो द्यूतकारे पणे द्यूते दुरोदरं महारण्ये दुर्गपथे कान्तारः पुन्नपुंसकं
durodaro dyūtakāre paṇe dyūte durodaraṃ mahāraṇye durgapathe kāntāraḥ punnapuṃsakaṃ
«دورودَرا» تُستعمل للقمّار، وللرِّهان، وللقِمار نفسه. وفي معنى «الغابة العظمى» و«المسلك الوعر» تُستعمل كلمة «كانْتارا»؛ وهي تأتي بصيغة المذكر وبصيغة المحايد (النَّتر).
Lord Agni (instructing Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic lexical/śāstra section)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Alamkara","practical_application":"Clarifying legal-moral vocabulary around gambling (gambler, wager, game) and correct grammatical gender/usage of kāntāra in administrative and literary texts.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Terms of Gambling and Wilderness: durodara; kāntāra (gender)","lookup_keywords":["durodara gambler","pana wager","dyuta gambling","kāntāra forest","puṃnapuṃsaka"],"quick_summary":"Defines durodara across gambling contexts (person, stake, act) and notes kāntāra meaning great forest/difficult path with masculine or neuter gender—useful for dharma and narrative description."}
Concept: Dyūta is a socially destabilizing practice; precise naming supports regulation and adjudication; grammar (gender) supports textual correctness.
Application: In governance and contracts, specify stake (paṇa) and act (dyūta) distinctly; in writing, use kāntāra with correct gender per context.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Lexicography / Synonyms and Gender in Sanskrit Usage)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Type: Forest
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A cautionary scene: a gambler (durodara) at dice with a pile of wagers (paṇa), contrasted with travelers entering a dense forest pass (kāntāra) marked as a difficult route.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, split composition: left—dice game with tense faces and stacked coins; right—stylized dark forest path with tall trees and a narrow pass; strong outlines, earthy tones","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, ornate gambling vignette with gold-highlighted coins and dice, and a second vignette of travelers at a forest gate; gold work on ornaments and wager pile","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional contrast: labeled durodara/paṇa/dyūta and kāntāra (puṃ/napuṃ), fine linework, calm palette, clear didactic layout","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed indoor gambling scene with carpets and dice, and an outdoor forest pass with travelers and guards; naturalistic foliage and expressive faces"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: महारण्ये = महा + अरण्ये; दुर्गपथे = दुर्ग + पथे. Verse is largely lexicographic: terms mapped to contexts (locatives).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma/Vyavahāra discussions of vices and disputes; Agni Purana lexical lists on gender and usage
FAQs
This verse imparts lexical-technical knowledge: correct semantic ranges and grammatical gender-usage of key terms—‘durodara’ (gambler/wager/gambling) and ‘kāntāra’ (wilderness/difficult passage), including that ‘kāntāra’ occurs in both masculine and neuter.
By cataloging precise word-senses and genders like a nighaṇṭu (lexicon), the Agni Purana preserves practical Sanskrit usage alongside ritual, law, medicine, and polity—showing its role as a reference compendium for correct terminology across disciplines.
Indirectly, it supports dharma by enabling accurate recitation, interpretation, and transmission of śāstra: correct words and meanings reduce error in study, teaching, and ritual speech (śabda-śuddhi), which traditional frameworks treat as supportive of merit.