Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 14
Chapter 342: शब्दालङ्काराः
Verbal/Sound-based Ornaments
सप्तधा सप्तपूर्वेण चेत् पादेनोत्तरोत्तरः एकद्वित्रिपदारम्भस्तुल्यः षोढा तदापरं
saptadhā saptapūrveṇa cet pādenottarottaraḥ ekadvitripadārambhastulyaḥ ṣoḍhā tadāparaṃ
فإن سِيرَ pāda بعد pāda، وحُسِبَ كلُّ لاحقٍ بالرجوع إلى المقياس السباعيّ السابق (saptadhā)، كان النمط الذي يبتدئ بفتوحات من pāda واحد، وpādaين، وثلاثة pādaات من جنسٍ واحد؛ ثم بعد ذلك يُعَدّ ستةَ عشرَ قسماً.
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana narrator) to Vasiṣṭha (implied dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Advanced enumeration of patterned placements across pādas using a stepwise counting rule (pāda-by-pāda progression), supporting systematic cataloging of yamaka distributions for composition and critique.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Pāda-krama gaṇanā: saptadhā-pūrvaka and ṣoḍaśadhā extension","lookup_keywords":["pāda-krama","saptadhā","ṣoḍaśadhā","gaṇanā","ārambha"],"quick_summary":"Gives a counting procedure: if each succeeding pāda is reckoned with reference to a preceding sevenfold measure, then patterns beginning with one-, two-, and three-pāda openings are treated as equivalent; beyond that, enumeration proceeds as sixteenfold."}
Alamkara Type: Yamaka (gaṇanā/saṅkhyā-bheda in placement)
Concept: Rule-governed enumeration (gaṇanā) as a śāstric method to exhaustively classify forms.
Application: Use stepwise counting to generate a catalog of allowable yamaka distributions for a given verse structure, aiding both composition drills and commentary.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Chandas / Prosody: metrical computation and pāda-based enumeration)
Primary Rasa: Adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: Shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sequential diagram shows pādas labeled 1–4 with arrows indicating progression; a sevenfold reference set is shown as a base, then expanded to a sixteenfold table; the teacher counts on fingers while students copy tables.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, bold sequential arrows across four pādas, sevenfold base motif like a rosette, expanded sixteenfold grid, guru counting with fingers, earthy tones","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-highlighted numeric tables (7 and 16), ornate borders, scholar with stylus and palm-leaf, symmetrical instructional composition","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear step-by-step flowchart with pāda labels and counts, gentle gradients, didactic clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, mathematician-poet hybrid scene, ruled tables with 7→16 expansion, fine calligraphy, scholars consulting manuscripts"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पादेनोत्तरोत्तरः = पादेन + उत्तर-उत्तरः; एकद्वित्रिपदारम्भस्तुल्यः = एकद्वित्रिपदारम्भः + तुल्यः; तदापरं = तदा + अपरम्
Related Themes: Agni Purana 342.12-342.13 (type and positional parameters); Agni Purana 342.15 (named subtypes: pādānta, kāñcī)
FAQs
It imparts a technical rule from Chandas (Sanskrit prosody) describing how successive pādas are enumerated/classified using a sevenfold reference, and how certain openings (1-, 2-, 3-pāda starts) are treated as equivalent, with a later shift to a sixteenfold count.
Beyond ritual and theology, the Agni Purana preserves śāstric systems like prosody and poetics; this verse exemplifies its handbook-like treatment of metrical computation used in composing, analyzing, and transmitting Sanskrit literature.
While primarily technical, correct chandas supports accurate recitation and preservation of sacred and literary texts; such correctness is traditionally associated with maintaining śabda-śuddhi (purity of sound) and the efficacy of recitation.