Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 1
Adhyāya 361 — अव्ययवर्गः
Avyaya-vargaḥ) — The Section on Indeclinables (Colophon/Closure
इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे अव्ययवर्गा नाम षष्ट्यधिकत्रिशततमो ऽध्यायः अथैकषष्ट्यधिकत्रिशततमो ऽध्यायः नानार्थवर्गाः अग्निर् उवाच आकाशे त्रिदिवे नाको लोकस्तु भवने जने पद्ये यशसि च श्लोकःशरे खड्गे च सायकः
ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe avyayavargā nāma ṣaṣṭyadhikatriśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ athaikaṣaṣṭyadhikatriśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ nānārthavargāḥ agnir uvāca ākāśe tridive nāko lokastu bhavane jane padye yaśasi ca ślokaḥśare khaḍge ca sāyakaḥ
Thus, in the Agni Mahāpurāṇa, ends the three-hundred-and-sixty-first chapter called “The Section on Indeclinables (Avyaya-varga).” Now begins the three-hundred-and-sixty-second chapter, “The Section on Words of Multiple Meanings (Nānārtha-varga).” Agni said: “The word nāka denotes (i) the sky, (ii) the third heaven, and (iii) heaven itself. The word loka denotes (i) a dwelling/house, (ii) people, (iii) a metrical verse-foot (pāda), and (iv) fame. The word sāyaka denotes (i) an arrow and (ii) a sword.”
Lord Agni
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Lexicographic disambiguation of polysemous words for correct reading of kāvya, śāstra, and ritual texts; building glossaries and commentaries.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Nānārtha-varga: nāka, loka, sāyaka (polysemy entries)","lookup_keywords":["nānārtha","nāka","loka","sāyaka","nighaṇṭu"],"quick_summary":"Introduces the polysemy section and gives sample entries: nāka (sky/third heaven/heaven), loka (house/people/pāda/fame), sāyaka (arrow/sword), guiding context-based interpretation."}
Weapon Type: Arrow; Sword
Concept: Artha-niścaya through context: one śabda can bear many meanings; correct meaning arises from usage-domain and surrounding words.
Application: Prevents misinterpretation in exegesis; supports precise translation and commentary-writing.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Lexicography / Nighaṇṭu: Avyaya-varga & Nānārtha-varga)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Cosmic-Region
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Agni as teacher recites a lexicon to sages; behind them, symbolic panels show sky/heaven (nāka), a house and a crowd and a metrical pāda (loka), and an arrow and sword (sāyaka).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Agni-deva with flaming aura teaching seated ṛṣis, three icon-panels: blue sky with clouds (nāka), house and people and a verse-foot diagram (loka), arrow and sword crossed (sāyaka), flat iconic style.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Agni enthroned with gold-leaf flames, sages with palm-leaf manuscripts, inset medallions illustrating nāka/loka/sāyaka meanings, ornate gold borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional illustration with labeled vignettes for each meaning, Agni as lecturer at side, clear Devanagari labels nāka loka sāyaka.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a scholarly assembly, a lexicon scroll open, marginal mini-scenes: heavens, a household and populace, and weapons, fine detailing and balanced composition."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"scholarly","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: इति आग्नेये → इत्याग्नेये; त्रिशततमो 'ध्यायः → त्रिशततमः अध्यायः; अथ एकषष्ट्यधिक… → अथैकषष्ट्यधिक…; अग्निः उवाच → अग्निरुवाच; लोकः तु → लोकस्तु; श्लोकः शरे → श्लोकःशरे (विसर्ग-सन्धि).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 361 (Avyaya-varga colophon); Agni Purana 362 (Nānārtha-varga opening)
FAQs
It imparts lexical/grammatical knowledge: a nānārtha (polysemy) list defining multiple accepted senses of key Sanskrit words (nāka, loka, sāyaka), useful for accurate reading of śāstra and kāvya.
Beyond ritual and theology, the text preserves practical language tools—like a mini-lexicon of multiple-meaning words—supporting disciplines such as grammar (vyākaraṇa), poetics (kāvya), and interpretation (mīmāṃsā-style semantic precision).
By promoting correct understanding of sacred and literary language, it supports accurate recitation, study, and interpretation—traditionally regarded as meritorious (puṇya) and protective against errors in scriptural comprehension.