Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 37
Liṅga-māna-ādi-kathana
Measurements and Related Particulars of the Liṅga
चत्वारि तत्र सूत्राणि भागभागानुपातनात् , चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः बालेन्दुत्रपुषाकृतिरिति ख, ग, घ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः चतुर्भागैर् इति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः अन्त्यभागमिति ग, घ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः चत्वारि तत्र छत्राणि इति ग, घ, ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकचतुष्ट्यपाठः पुण्डरीकन्तु भागेन विशालाख्यं विलोपनात्
catvāri tatra sūtrāṇi bhāgabhāgānupātanāt , cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ bālendutrapuṣākṛtiriti kha, ga, gha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ caturbhāgair iti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ antyabhāgamiti ga, gha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ catvāri tatra chatrāṇi iti ga, gha, ṅa, cihnitapustakacatuṣṭyapāṭhaḥ puṇḍarīkantu bhāgena viśālākhyaṃ vilopanāt
Hier gibt es vier «Sūtras» (sūtra: Fäden/Einheiten), bestimmt durch das proportionale Abfallen der Teile von Anteil zu Anteil. (In einigen markierten Handschriften liest man: „seine Gestalt ist wie junger Mond und Lotus“, andere lesen: „durch vier Teile“ oder „der letzte Teil“, und manche lesen: „hier gibt es vier Schirme“.) Doch nach der Lesart der vierfach markierten Handschrift: „Puṇḍarīka (das ‘Lotus’-Muster) wird durch einen Anteil gewonnen; und durch Auslassung (vilopa) heißt es Viśālā.“
Lord Agni (in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue, typically teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Text-critical and technical identification of metrical/figurative units (sūtras) and named patterns (Puṇḍarīka, Viśālā) based on proportional parts and elision, guiding correct prosodic composition and manuscript reading.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Prosodic units and variant readings: Puṇḍarīka and Viśālā by vilopa","lookup_keywords":["sūtra","bhāgānupāta","puṇḍarīka","viśālā","vilopa"],"quick_summary":"States four sūtras/units determined by proportional part-relations, notes manuscript variants, and affirms that Puṇḍarīka is obtained by a part while by elision (vilopa) it is termed Viśālā."}
Concept: Śāstra depends on pramāṇa through correct pāṭha (reading) and rule-governed derivation (vilopa/anupāta).
Application: For poets and reciters: choose the validated manuscript reading; apply vilopa and part-proportion rules to compose/scan verses in the intended pattern.
Khanda Section: Chandas & Kavya-shastra (Prosody/metrics; technical rules of verse-construction)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A manuscript desk scene: a scholar compares multiple palm-leaf manuscripts with marked readings, pointing to a prosody diagram showing four sūtras/units and a lotus-like (puṇḍarīka) pattern; an alternate reduced form labeled Viśālā via vilopa.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural of a traditional scholar-scribe in a temple library (grantha-bhaṇḍāra), palm-leaf bundles with red string, highlighted variant lines; a lotus diagram labeled Puṇḍarīka and a simplified form labeled Viśālā; warm ochres and deep greens.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: seated vidvān with palm-leaf manuscripts, gold-embossed lotus motif representing Puṇḍarīka; a second motif slightly reduced for Viśālā; ornate frame and gold detailing on manuscript edges.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore instructional folio: clean prosody chart with four sūtra units, arrows showing bhāga-anupāta; a lotus-pattern schematic for Puṇḍarīka and a vilopa-derived variant labeled Viśālā; neat calligraphy.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a court poet and munshi collating manuscripts; margins filled with variant readings; a geometric-floral prosody diagram (lotus) on the page; refined interior with writing implements."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Verse text is heavily interpolated with manuscript notes (चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः etc.); analysis provided for the main readable pādas: ‘चत्वारि तत्र सूत्राणि भागभागानुपातनात् … पुण्डरीकं तु भागेन विशालाख्यं विलोपनात्’. Sandhi: भागभागानुपातनात् = भाग-भाग-अनुपातनात्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana chandas/alaṅkāra sections (later encyclopedic chapters on prosody and poetics); Agni Purana 54 (contextual linkage via technical enumeration and manuscript notes)
FAQs
It conveys chandas/poetics-technical knowledge: how a metrical/diagrammatic type (Puṇḍarīka) is defined by fractional ‘parts’ and how, through vilopa (elision/omission), a related form is termed Viśālā.
Beyond mythology, it preserves specialized śāstra material—prosodic taxonomy, operational rules (like elision), and even manuscript-variant traditions—showing the Purana’s role as a compendium of technical Sanskrit learning.
Indirectly, correct knowledge of chandas supports accurate recitation and composition of sacred and devotional texts; precision in form is traditionally linked to preserving mantra/śāstra integrity and the merit of proper transmission.