Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 12

Chapter 340 — नृत्यादावङ्गकर्मनिरूपणम्

Explanation of Bodily Actions in Dance and Performance

Devanagari script

षोटौष्ठकर्मकं पापं सप्तधा चिवुकक्रिया कलुषादिमुखं षोढा ग्रीवा नवविधा स्मृता

Transliteration

ṣoṭauṣṭhakarmakaṃ pāpaṃ saptadhā civukakriyā kaluṣādimukhaṃ ṣoḍhā grīvā navavidhā smṛtā

Translation

التشوّهات الموصوفة بأنها آثمة والمتعلقة بالشفتين تُقال إنها ستةَ عشر نوعًا. وشذوذات الذقن سبعةُ أنواع. وعيوب الفم/الوجه—ابتداءً من «كَلُوشا» (kaluṣa: مُلطَّخ/داكن)—ستةَ عشر نوعًا. وعيوب العنق تُذكَر على أنها تسعةُ أنواع.

Word by Word

• षोडश-ओष्ठ-कर्मकम्: lip-actions (of sixteen kinds)
• षोडश-ओष्ठ-कर्मकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + ओष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (संख्यापूर्वक: ‘षोडशविधम् ओष्ठकर्म’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण/नाम

• पापम्: ‘Pāpa’ (a named gesture/mode)
• पापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; नाम (technical term)

• सप्तधा: in seven ways
• सप्तधा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सप्त (संख्या) + धा (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• चिवुक-क्रिया: chin-actions
• चिवुक-क्रिया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिवुक (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘चिवुकस्य क्रिया’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• कलुष-आदि-मुखम्: ‘Kaluṣādi-mukha’ (a named facial mode)
• कलुष-आदि-मुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलुष (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (कलुषं च तदादि च यस्य मुखम्/नाम), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; नाम

• षोढा: in six ways
• षोढा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: षट् (संख्या) + धा (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• ग्रीवा: neck
• ग्रीवा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रीवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• नव-विधा: of nine kinds
• नव-विधा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (संख्यापूर्वक-निर्देश), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्मृता: is stated / is remembered as
• स्मृता: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle used predicatively), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘is said/remembered’

Speaker

Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha)

Vidya Category

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Clinical observation and roga-nidāna support: enumerating congenital/acquired deformities of lips, chin, mouth/face, and neck for diagnosis and prognosis.","sutra_style":true}

Encyclopedic Reference

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Oṣṭha, Civuka, Mukha, Grīvā-doṣa bheda (16/7/16/9)","lookup_keywords":["oṣṭha-doṣa","civuka-doṣa","mukha-doṣa","grīvā-doṣa","kaluṣa-mukha"],"quick_summary":"Lists standard counts of defects/deformities of lips (16), chin (7), mouth/face (16, beginning with ‘kaluṣa’), and neck (9), serving as a diagnostic catalogue for bodily lakṣaṇa assessment."}

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The body is read through lakṣaṇas; enumerated ‘doṣa-bhedas’ create a shared diagnostic language for physicians and assessors.

Application: In examination, record observed features under the four regions (oṣṭha/civuka/mukha/grīvā) to standardize case notes and compare progression over time.

Khanda Section

Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Roga-nidana / Sharira-lakshana: diagnostic classification of bodily defects)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A physician examines a patient’s lips, chin, face complexion (kaluṣa), and neck; beside them a palm-leaf list shows the counts 16/7/16/9 as a diagnostic catalogue.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, vaidya with herbal satchel examining mukha and grīvā, stylized close-up faces showing different doṣas, palm-leaf manuscript with numerals, earthy palette and bold outlines","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, clinic-like scene with vaidya and patient, gold borders and ornaments, emphasis on facial features and neck, manuscript panel listing oṣṭha/civuka/mukha/grīvā bhedas","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional medical illustration: four head-and-neck regions with labeled defect categories, gentle colors, precise lines, didactic layout","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, hakim/vaidya consultation in a chamber, detailed rendering of faces and neck posture, assistant holding a diagnostic scroll, fine textile patterns"}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: षोटौष्ठकर्मकं read as षोडश-ओष्ठ-कर्मकम् (orthographic contraction in transmission).

Cross References

Related Themes: Agni Purana 340 (śarīra-lakṣaṇa and roga-nidāna style enumerations)

Characters & Entities

• Agni Purana
• Ayurveda
• Mukha (mouth/face)
• Oṣṭha (lips)
• Civuka (chin)
• Grīvā (neck)

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

Ayurvedic-style diagnostic taxonomy: it enumerates how many categories of defects are recognized for lips (16), chin (7), mouth/face (16), and neck (9), serving as a framework for clinical/physiognomic assessment.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

It shows the Purana functioning like a compendium by preserving medical/diagnostic classifications (roga-nidana and bodily-lakṣaṇa) alongside religious material—typical of the Agni Purana’s wide-ranging, shastra-like coverage.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

By calling these deformities “pāpa” (sin-linked/inauspicious), the verse frames certain bodily defects as karmic outcomes, encouraging ethical conduct and remedial/purificatory approaches consistent with dharma.