Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 14
Chapter 336 — काव्यादिलक्षणम्
Definitions of Poetry and Related Arts
भवन्ति यत्र दीप्ताश् च रीतिवृत्तिप्रवृत्तयः उच्छासैश् च परिच्छेदो यत्र या चूर्णकोत्तरा
bhavanti yatra dīptāś ca rītivṛttipravṛttayaḥ ucchāsaiś ca paricchedo yatra yā cūrṇakottarā
ذلك النظمُ الموزون هو ما تتجلّى فيه استعمالاتُ الأسلوب (rīti) وحركةُ الوزن (vṛtta) بوضوحٍ وبريق؛ وتُجعلُ الفواصلُ فيه بوقَفاتٍ تُسمّى (ucchvāsa)، وتَرِدُ فيه قافيةٌ ختامية تُدعى «cūrṇakottarā».
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in encyclopedic topics, here poetic/prosodic technique)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Natya","practical_application":"Applying prosodic-performance markers (ucchvasa pauses, pariccheda segmentation, concluding cadence) to make metrical narration clear and aesthetically ‘vivid’ in delivery and writing.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Ucchvasa-pariccheda and curnakottara cadence in kavya-prayoga","lookup_keywords":["ucchvasa","pariccheda","riti","vritti","curnakottara"],"quick_summary":"Vivid style (riti) and metrical movement (vritti) are supported by clear pause-based segmentation (ucchvasa) and a recognized closing cadence (curnakottara), aiding readability and recitation."}
Concept: Form (prayoga) governs comprehension: pauses and endings structure meaning and aesthetic impact.
Application: When composing/reciting, mark ucchvasa pauses for pariccheda divisions and craft a recognizable closing cadence to signal completion.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Chandas & Kavya-prayoga: prosody, metrical technique, and poetic diction)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A poet-teacher demonstrates metrical delivery: lines of verse segmented by breath-pauses (ucchvasa), with a highlighted final cadence labeled curnakottara.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style classroom-sabha; guru-poet with hand raised marking pauses; stylized script bands showing verse segments separated by breath marks; final segment ornamented to indicate curnakottara; warm earthy palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: seated acharya with manuscript and stylus; gold-embossed borders around segmented verse panels; the last panel gleams with extra gold to signify curnakottara; temple-lamp ambience.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: diagrammatic layout of a poem with pariccheda blocks; arrows indicating ucchvasa pauses; a neat label for riti and vritti; soft colors, precise lines.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a literary salon; a reciter pauses rhythmically while listeners follow a manuscript with visible section breaks; the final line decorated to show closing cadence; detailed carpets and cushions."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दीप्ताश् च = दीप्ताः + च; विसर्ग-सन्धि। उच्छासैश् च = उच्छासैः + च; विसर्ग-सन्धि।
Related Themes: Agni Purana 336 (chandas/kavya-prayoga context)
FAQs
It teaches prosodic diagnostics for verse-making: how style (rīti) and metrical movement (vṛtti) should appear distinctly, how verses are divided by pauses (ucchvāsa), and how a recognized terminal cadence (cūrṇakottarā) marks the ending.
Beyond theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves technical śāstra material—here, literary science (sāhitya/chandas). It catalogues practical markers used by poets and reciters to classify and perform meters, showing the text’s breadth across disciplines.
Correct chandas and recitation structure are traditionally held to preserve mantra/verse efficacy and purity of transmission; mastering pauses and endings supports accurate chanting and disciplined speech, which is treated as merit-bearing (puṇya) in śāstric culture.