Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 29
Discrimination of the Qualities of Poetry (Kāvya-guṇa-viveka) — Closing Verse/Colophon Transition
विभक्तिसंज्ञालिङ्गानां यत्रोद्वेगो न धीमतां संख्यायास्तत्र भिन्नत्वमुपमानोपमेययोः
vibhaktisaṃjñāliṅgānāṃ yatrodvego na dhīmatāṃ saṃkhyāyāstatra bhinnatvamupamānopameyayoḥ
Wo die Verständigen hinsichtlich vibhakti (Kasusendungen), saṃjñā (Fachbezeichnung) und liṅga (grammatisches Genus) keine Schwierigkeit empfinden, dort sind—aufgrund von saṃkhyā (Zahl)—upamāna (Vergleichsmaßstab) und upameya (das Verglichene) als verschieden zu verstehen, also nicht notwendig grammatisch identisch.
Lord Agni (instructional narration within the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"When crafting similes, ensure grammatical agreement is not forced: even if vibhakti/saṃjñā/liṅga pose no issue, number (singular/plural) can require treating upamāna and upameya as distinct entities.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Upamā: Distinction of Upamāna–Upameya due to Saṃkhyā (Number)","lookup_keywords":["upamāna","upameya","saṃkhyā","liṅga","vibhakti"],"quick_summary":"In simile-construction, do not assume full grammatical identity between compared terms; differences in number can mandate conceptual distinctness even when other grammatical markers are smooth."}
Alamkara Type: Upama
Concept: Poetic comparison requires viveka: similarity is asserted without collapsing distinct referents; grammar (especially number) signals that distinction.
Application: In kāvya analysis, separate semantic identity from grammatical agreement; use number as a diagnostic for whether the comparison is collective, distributive, or merely analogical.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Vyakarana & Alankara: simile/poetics and grammatical usage)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A teacher illustrates a simile on a board: one moon compared to many faces; students note that number differs, so the compared terms remain distinct despite smooth case/gender usage.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, guru teaching with stylized moon and multiple faces as icons, students seated, script panels showing singular vs plural markers, earthy palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-highlighted moon motif and multiple lotus-face motifs, teacher pointing to grammatical markers, ornate border and jewel tones","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean didactic diagram: upamāna (singular) vs upameya (plural) labeled, subtle decorative flourishes","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature classroom, illuminated folio with a simile example, teacher and pupils, fine calligraphy indicating ekavacana/bahuvacana"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यत्र + उद्वेगः → यत्रोद्वेगः; संख्यायाः + तत्र → संख्यायास्तत्र; भिन्नत्वम् + उपमानोपमेययोः → भिन्नत्वमुपमानोपमेययोः; उपमान + उपमेययोः → उपमानोपमेययोः (द्वन्द्व)
Related Themes: Agni Purana 346 (upamā and śabda/artha-doṣa discussions)
FAQs
It teaches a technical rule in Sanskrit poetics/grammar: when constructing or analyzing a simile (upamā), the upamāna and upameya may differ specifically in number (singular/dual/plural), even if other grammatical features do not cause interpretive difficulty.
Beyond mythology and worship, the Agni Purana systematizes scholarly disciplines like vyākaraṇa (grammar) and alaṅkāra-śāstra (poetics). This verse exemplifies that encyclopedic scope by codifying how similes are grammatically and rhetorically analyzed.
Indirectly, it supports dharma through correct learning and transmission of śāstra: precise understanding of language and meaning safeguards faithful recitation, teaching, and interpretation of sacred and literary texts.