Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 21
Chapter 363: नृब्रह्मक्षत्रविट्शूद्रवर्गाः
Groups of terms for Men, Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras
स्कन्धो भुजशिरो ऽंशो ऽस्त्री सन्धी तस्यैव जत्रुणी पुनर्भवः कररुहो नखो ऽस्त्री नखरो ऽस्त्रियां
skandho bhujaśiro 'ṃśo 'strī sandhī tasyaiva jatruṇī punarbhavaḥ kararuho nakho 'strī nakharo 'striyāṃ
স্কন্ধ, ভুজশিৰ আৰু অংশ—এইবোৰ স্ত্ৰীলিঙ্গ নহয়। ‘সন্ধি’ও সেই একে লিঙ্গতে গণ্য। ‘জত্ৰুণী’ স্ত্ৰীলিঙ্গ। ‘পুনৰ্ভৱ’ পুংলিঙ্গ। ‘কৰৰুহ’ আৰু ‘নখ’ স্ত্ৰীলিঙ্গ নহয়; ‘নখৰ’ নপুংসকলিঙ্গত ব্যৱহৃত।
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in encyclopedic/lexical-grammatical matter)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vyakarana","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Correct grammatical gender assignment for anatomical/lexical terms in composition, recitation, and technical description (medicine, iconography, poetry).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Liṅga-nirdeśa of anatomical and related nouns (skandha–nakha)","lookup_keywords":["skandha","sandhi","jatruṇī","punarbhava","nakha"],"quick_summary":"Gives gender rules for specific words: skandha/bhujashiras/aṃśa/sandhi/kararuha/nakha are not feminine; jatruṇī is feminine; punarbhava is masculine; nakhara is neuter."}
Concept: Śabda-niyama: linguistic discipline as a support for all applied sciences.
Application: Avoids errors in mantras, medical notes, iconographic manuals, and formal discourse by fixing correct genders.
Khanda Section: Vyakarana / Shabda-rupa-nirdesha (Grammatical gender and lexical forms)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A traditional paṇḍita points to a palm-leaf lexicon listing body-part terms with their grammatical genders; beside it, a schematic shoulder-joint-collarbone and a hand with nail/claw labels.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm earthy palette, a seated Sanskrit scholar with palm-leaf manuscript, labeled body-part diagram motifs (shoulder, joint, clavicle, nail), ornamental borders, flat iconic composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, scholar-teacher with halo-like arch, gold-leaf accents on manuscript and stylus, small inset panels showing skandha/sandhi/jatruṇī/nakha labels, rich reds and greens","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, fine linework, instructional tableau of a teacher explaining liṅga rules, neat Devanagari labels near anatomical sketches, subdued pastel background","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly library scene with a grammarian demonstrating a lexicon, delicate anatomical marginalia (shoulder, clavicle, nails), detailed textiles and paper texture"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ऽ = अ-प्रगृह्य/अवग्रह: शिरोऽंशो = शिरः + अंशः; ऽस्त्री = अस्त्री. तस्यैव = तस्य + एव. नखोऽस्त्री = नखः + अस्त्री. नखरोऽस्त्रियां = नखरः + अस्त्रियां.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 363 (śabda-rūpa/pramāṇa sections); Agni Purana grammatical/kośa-style lists in adjacent verses
FAQs
This verse imparts Vyākaraṇa-vidyā: it classifies specific anatomical and related nouns (skandha, sandhi, jatruṇī, nakha, nakhara) by grammatical gender for correct Sanskrit usage.
By preserving a compact lexicon of correct word-forms and genders alongside diverse topics, the Agni Purana functions as a reference manual—here acting like a grammatical glossary embedded within a Purāṇic corpus.
Accurate recitation and composition depend on correct grammar; such correctness is traditionally held to preserve mantra and śāstra integrity, supporting dharmic study and the merit of faithful transmission.