Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 1
Chapter 363: नृब्रह्मक्षत्रविट्शूद्रवर्गाः
Groups of terms for Men, Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras
इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे भूमिवनौषध्यादिवर्गा नाम द्विषष्ट्यधिकत्रिशततमो ऽध्यायः अथ त्रिषष्ट्यधिकत्रिशततमो ऽध्यायः नृब्रह्मक्षत्रविट्शूद्रवर्गाः अग्निर् उवाच नृब्रह्मक्षत्रविट्शूद्रवर्गान्वक्ष्ये ऽथ नामतः नरः पञ्चजना मर्त्य यद्योषावंला वधूः
ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe bhūmivanauṣadhyādivargā nāma dviṣaṣṭyadhikatriśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ atha triṣaṣṭyadhikatriśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ nṛbrahmakṣatraviṭśūdravargāḥ agnir uvāca nṛbrahmakṣatraviṭśūdravargānvakṣye 'tha nāmataḥ naraḥ pañcajanā martya yadyoṣāvaṃlā vadhūḥ
Thus, in the Agni Mahāpurāṇa, the chapter entitled “Groups of terms for earth, forests, medicinal plants, and the like” is the three-hundred-and-sixty-second. Now begins the three-hundred-and-sixty-third chapter, “Groups of terms for men, Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras.” Agni said: “I shall now set forth, by name, these groups of terms: for ‘man’—nara, pañcajana, martya; for ‘woman’—yadyoṣā, avaṃlā; for ‘bride/wife’—vadhū.”
Lord Agni
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vyakarana","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Lexical standardization for interpreting Purāṇic/Smṛti passages: mapping common nouns for human categories (man, woman, bride) and varṇa-related headings for accurate reading, commentary, and legal/ritual usage.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Nara–Yoṣā–Vadhū: Human appellations (synonym groups)","lookup_keywords":["nara","martya","yoṣā","vadhū","nighaṇṭu"],"quick_summary":"Defines synonym sets for ‘man’, ‘woman’, and ‘bride/wife’ within the Agni Purāṇa’s nighaṇṭu-style varga system, aiding precise semantic interpretation across ritual, legal, and literary contexts."}
Concept: Śabda-jñāna as a tool: correct naming enables correct understanding and application of dharma and śāstra.
Application: Use synonym sets to avoid misreading injunctions/definitions in Smṛti, kāvya, and ritual manuals.
Khanda Section: Nighaṇṭu / Lexicography (Varga classifications of terms: social classes and human appellations)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Agni as teacher enumerates synonym groups on palm-leaf manuscript pages; scribes record ‘nara/martya’, ‘yoṣā’, ‘vadhū’ under varga headings.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, Agni-deva seated as guru with flaming aura, palm-leaf manuscript and stylus, students in traditional attire, panels showing word-lists ‘nara–martya–pañcajana’, earthy ochres and reds, flat iconic composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Agni-deva with ornate crown and prabhāmaṇḍala, gold-leaf highlights on manuscript edges, attendants holding palm leaves, inscription-like word panels for nara/yoṣā/vadhū, rich maroons and greens","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional classroom scene, Agni pointing to a written varga table, fine linework, soft shading, labeled columns for man/woman/bride synonyms, scholarly ambience","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly scholarly assembly, Agni as luminous sage-like figure, scribes writing in margins, neat nasta‘liq-like layout adapted to Devanāgarī word lists, delicate borders and architectural interior"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Resolved: इत्य्→इति; महापुराणे (महत्+पुराण); द्विषष्ट्यधिकत्रिशततमोऽध्यायः→द्विषष्ट्यधिकत्रिशततमः अध्यायः; त्रिषष्ट्यधिकत्रिशततमोऽध्यायः→त्रिषष्ट्यधिकत्रिशततमः अध्यायः; अग्निरुवाच→अग्निः उवाच; वर्गान्वक्ष्ये→वर्गान् वक्ष्ये; वक्ष्येऽथ→वक्ष्ये अथ; यद्योषावंला→यदि योषा अवंला (reading per IAST: yadyoṣāvaṃlā).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Nighaṇṭu sections: bhūmi-varga, vana-varga, oṣadhi-varga (preceding chapter 362); Agni Purana kośa-style vargas continuing in ch. 363+ (human/social terms)
FAQs
This verse imparts lexical (nighaṇṭu) knowledge: it begins a classified list of synonymous Sanskrit terms for humans and social classes, useful for precise usage in śāstra, ritual manuals, and literary composition.
By shifting from subject-matter instruction to organized vocabularies (vargāḥ), the Agni Purana functions like a reference compendium—cataloguing terminology alongside topics such as ritual, polity, medicine, and poetics.
While not prescribing a rite, the passage supports dharmic practice indirectly: correct naming and understanding of persons and social categories aids accurate recitation, teaching, and interpretation of dharma texts, which is traditionally considered meritorious.