Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 12
Rudra-śānti (रुद्रशान्ति)
अरिमादौ तथान्ते च दूरतः परिवर्जयेत् सिद्धः सुसिद्धश् चैकार्थे अरिः साध्यस्तथैव च
arimādau tathānte ca dūrataḥ parivarjayet siddhaḥ susiddhaś caikārthe ariḥ sādhyastathaiva ca
Il faut éviter le son/le mot « ari » au début comme à la fin, en le tenant à distance. Dans un sens unique visé, l’expression est dite « siddha » et « susiddha » ; de même, « ari » et « sādhya » reçoivent aussi cette désignation.
Lord Agni (in instruction to Sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the Agni Purāṇa’s standard dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Phonetic/lexical doṣa-avoidance in mantra and composition: avoid placing the sound/word ‘ari’ at the beginning or end; understand technical labels (siddha, susiddha, ari, sādhya) as single-sense designations.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Ari-Doṣa and the Terms Siddha/Su-siddha, Ari/Sādhya (Ekārtha)","lookup_keywords":["ari-ādi-anta-varjana","dūrataḥ","ekārtha","siddha-susiddha","sādhya"],"quick_summary":"The term ‘ari’ is to be kept away from the opening and closing positions; the verse also states that ‘siddha’ and ‘su-siddha’ (and likewise ‘ari’ and ‘sādhya’) can function as equivalent technical labels within one intended meaning."}
Alamkara Type: Śabda-śuddhi (doṣa-parihāra) / technical nirukti within śāstra-style discourse
Concept: Śabda-niyama: correctness and placement of sounds/words affects efficacy and acceptability; technical synonymy is admitted when the intended sense is one.
Application: In drafting mantras or formal verses, avoid ‘ari’ at the margins (ādi/anta) and use the accepted technical labels consistently for the intended prayoga.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Kavya-śāstra / Poetics and Rhetoric)
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A diagram-like manuscript page showing a mantra/verse line with the syllable ‘ARI’ crossed out at the first and last positions, and placed safely in the middle; marginal notes label ‘siddha’, ‘susiddha’, ‘sādhya’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural aesthetic applied to a teaching scene: guru pointing to a palm-leaf with ‘ARI’ marked at edges as forbidden, bold Sanskrit letters, warm ochres and greens, stylized classroom in a temple corridor.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, guru and disciple seated, gold-leaf emphasis on the corrected mantra margins, decorative borders framing the manuscript, clear ‘ARI’ at edges shown as avoided, didactic devotional ambience.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional layout: manuscript close-up with annotations, fine brushwork, minimal background, emphasis on textual placement rules and labels ekārtha/siddha/sādhya.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a munshi-like scholar correcting a text, red ink marks at beginning and end where ‘ARI’ is disallowed, detailed stationery objects, elegant calligraphy and border illumination."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अरिमादौ = अरिम् + आदौ; तथान्ते = तथा + अन्ते; सुसिद्धश् = सुसिद्धः; चैकार्थे = च + एकार्थे; साध्यस्तथैव = साध्यः + तथा + एव.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 324 (sections on mantra-doṣa, śabda-lakṣaṇa, siddha/sādhya classifications)
FAQs
It imparts a technical rule from Sanskrit poetics/śāstra: a specific element termed “ari” should be avoided at the opening and closing positions, and it lists classification labels (siddha, susiddha, ari, sādhya) used when a passage is intended to convey a single sense.
Beyond theology and ritual, the Agni Purāṇa includes systematic śāstra material; here it preserves technical terminology from kāvya/alaṅkāra traditions—showing the text’s role as a compendium spanning literary theory alongside dharma, polity, medicine, and warfare.
While primarily literary-technical, it supports dharmic speech (śuddha-vāk) by promoting disciplined, well-formed expression—valued in recitation, teaching, and transmission of sacred knowledge.