Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 16
Discrimination of the Qualities of Poetry (Kāvya-guṇa-viveka) — Closing Verse/Colophon Transition
विगतो वा विरुद्धो वा सन्धिः स भवति द्विधा सन्धेर्विरुद्धता कष्टपादादर्थान्तरागमात्
vigato vā viruddho vā sandhiḥ sa bhavati dvidhā sandherviruddhatā kaṣṭapādādarthāntarāgamāt
السَّنْدهي (الوصل الصوتي) له نوعان من العيب: (1) فيغَتا—حيث يغيب السندهي الصحيح أو يُسقَط، و(2) فيرُدّها—حيث يكون السندهي مخالفًا للقاعدة أو للملاءمة. وتنشأ «المخالفة» في السندهي من pāda (ربع الشطر/صياغة الوزن) إذا أُكرهت صياغته على نحوٍ مُتعسِّف، أو من تسرّب معنى آخر غير مقصود.
Lord Agni (teaching the principles of sahitya/poetics within the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic instruction)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Editing and composing Sanskrit verse/prose by diagnosing two sandhi-doṣas—missing junction (vigata) and improper/contrary junction (viruddha)—and tracing their causes to metrical forcing or semantic intrusion.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Sandhi-doṣa: Vigata and Viruddha","lookup_keywords":["sandhi-doṣa","vigata-sandhi","viruddha-sandhi","kaṣṭa-pāda","arthāntarāgama"],"quick_summary":"Faulty sandhi is classified as either absent (vigata) or contrary (viruddha). Viruddhatā typically results from forcing a metrical quarter or from an unintended shift/intrusion of meaning."}
Alamkara Type: Doṣa (Sandhi-doṣa)
Concept: Śabda-śuddhi through identifying doṣas and their causal conditions (metrical pressure, semantic drift).
Application: Use as a checklist in kāvya revision: verify sandhi correctness; if violated, check whether meter forced the wording or whether meaning has inadvertently shifted.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Kavya/Chandas/Nirukti—technical poetics and grammatical-linguistic doctrine)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A traditional Sanskrit paṇḍita-teacher points to a palm-leaf manuscript showing correct and incorrect sandhi splits; beside it, a metrical pāda is marked as ‘kaṣṭa’ and a gloss shows meaning shifting due to wrong junction.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, scholar in white dhoti teaching students, palm-leaf manuscript with highlighted sandhi junctions, warm earthy pigments, flat iconic composition, subtle Sanskrit letters as decorative bands.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, seated guru with manuscript and stylus, gold-leaf halo-like arch behind, two panels showing ‘vigata’ (gap) and ‘viruddha’ (wrong join) as symbolic letter-forms, rich reds and greens.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, instructional diagram: two columns labeled vigata and viruddha, examples of joined letters, teacher gesturing with pointer, delicate linework and soft shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly library scene with calligrapher and grammarian, manuscript open to sandhi examples, marginal notes indicating kaṣṭa-pāda and arthāntara, fine detail and patterned textiles."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: sandher viruddhatā: सन्धेः + विरुद्धता; arthāntarāgamāt: अर्थान्तर + आगमात् (āgama in abl.); kaṣṭapādād: कष्टपादात् (final -t → -d before vowel).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 346 (Sāhitya-śāstra section on doṣas/guṇas)
FAQs
It teaches a technical kavya/grammar point: two sandhi-doṣas—vigata (missing sandhi) and viruddha (improper/contradictory sandhi), and how bad metrical forcing or unintended meaning-shift causes the fault.
Beyond ritual and mythology, it preserves formal literary-scientific knowledge—rules for correct Sanskrit composition, metrical phrasing (pāda), and semantic precision—showing the text’s coverage of sahitya-shastra alongside other vidyās.
By promoting precise, non-distorting speech and textual integrity, it supports truthful transmission of dharma-teachings; careful language reduces misunderstanding in recitation, teaching, and sacred study (svādhyāya).