Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 14
Chapter 338 — शृङ्गारादिरसनिरूपणम्
Exposition of the Rasas beginning with Śṛṅgāra
हर्षादिभिश् च मनसो विकाशो हास उच्यते चित्रादिदर्शनाच्चेतोवैक्लव्यं ब्रुवते भयम्
harṣādibhiś ca manaso vikāśo hāsa ucyate citrādidarśanāccetovaiklavyaṃ bruvate bhayam
L’épanouissement de l’esprit né de la joie (harṣa) et de causes semblables est appelé hāsa (rire). Le trouble ou la confusion mentale provoqués par la vue de quelque chose d’étrange et autres choses du même ordre sont nommés bhaya (peur).
Lord Agni (instructing Vasiṣṭha in encyclopedic topics, here poetics/aesthetics)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Natya","practical_application":"Apply these lakṣaṇas to classify hāsa and bhaya in characters/situations and to cue appropriate abhinaya (facial expression, gesture, tempo) in performance and writing.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Hāsa (laughter) and Bhaya (fear): mental causes and signs","lookup_keywords":["hāsa","bhaya","harṣa","vikāśa","ceto-vaiklavyam"],"quick_summary":"Hāsa is the mind’s blossoming from joy and similar causes. Bhaya is mental agitation/confusion arising from seeing something strange and the like."}
Concept: Emotions are defined by inner mental modulation and identifiable triggers; cognition of the ‘strange’ can destabilize the mind into fear.
Application: For dramaturgy, design stimuli (comic joy vs uncanny/strange perception) to reliably produce hāsya or bhayānaka response.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Kavya/Alankara: definitions of bhavas and aesthetic-emotional states)
Primary Rasa: hasya
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Two contrasting vignettes: a group laughing as the mind ‘blooms’ from joy; another figure startled by a strange sight, showing agitation and fear.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, split-panel composition: left—joyful court jesters and smiling faces (hāsa), right—wide-eyed figure recoiling from a strange apparition (bhaya), bold outlines, traditional ornaments","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style diptych with gold work: left—festive laughter scene with musicians; right—fear scene with a mysterious figure in shadow, ornate borders, rich colors","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, refined expressions: left—subtle smiling and relaxed posture; right—raised brows, tense hands, slight backward lean, labeled bhāva cues on a manuscript margin","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly gathering with humorous incident causing laughter; adjacent scene of a traveler encountering an uncanny sight at dusk, detailed architecture and textiles"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: harṣādibhiś ca = harṣādibhiḥ ca; citrādidarśanāc = citrādidarśanāt; darśanāccetovaiklavyaṃ = darśanāt cetaḥ-vaiklavyaṃ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 338 (definitions of bhāvas such as jugupsā, vismaya, etc.)
FAQs
It imparts kavya-śāstra (Sāhitya/Alankāra) technical definitions: hāsa is the mind’s opening due to joy, while bhaya is mental perturbation caused by perceiving strange or unsettling objects.
Beyond ritual and dharma, the Agni Purana also codifies literary aesthetics and psychological-emotive taxonomy (bhāvas), showing its scope as a compendium that includes Sanskrit poetics alongside religious instruction.
By naming and discerning inner states like laughter and fear, one gains self-awareness and emotional discipline—supporting steadiness of mind (sattva) that aids ethical conduct, worship, and contemplative practice.