Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 19
Chapter 342: शब्दालङ्काराः
Verbal/Sound-based Ornaments
द्वयोरावृत्तपदयोः समस्ता स्यात्समासतः असमासात्तयोर्व्यस्ता पादे त्वेकत्र विग्रहात्
dvayorāvṛttapadayoḥ samastā syātsamāsataḥ asamāsāttayorvyastā pāde tvekatra vigrahāt
দুটা পাদত পদ পুনৰাবৃত্তি থাকিলে সমাস-নিয়মে সেয়া ‘সমস্তা’ (সংযুক্ত) গণ্য হয়। কিন্তু সমাস নাথাকিলে সেয়া ‘ব্যস্তা’ (বিভক্ত) হয়; আৰু একে পাদত য’ত স্পষ্ট বিগ্ৰহ কৰা হয়, তাতেই বিভাজন ধৰা উচিত।
Lord Agni (traditionally instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Sandhi Resolution Notes: dvayorāvṛttapadayoḥ = dvayoḥ āvṛtta-padayoḥ; syātsamāsataḥ = syāt samāsataḥ; asamāsāttayorvyastā = asamāsāt tayoḥ vyastā; tvekatra = tu ekatra.
FAQs
It teaches a technical rule of Sanskrit prosody/poetics: how to classify and read repeated pādas using samāsa (compound reading) versus asamāsa (non-compound, separated reading), guided by where a vigraha (analytic split) is intended.
Beyond mythology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves formal śāstric instruction—here, chandas and grammatical analysis—showing it functions as a compendium that also codifies literary and linguistic technique.
Correct recitation and accurate textual understanding are traditionally viewed as preserving mantra/śāstra integrity; this rule supports faultless reading and transmission, which is associated with purity of learning and merit from faithful study.