Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 21
Chapter 342: शब्दालङ्काराः
Verbal/Sound-based Ornaments
यया कयाचिद्वृत्या यत् समानमनुभूयते तद्रूपादिपदासत्तिः सानुप्रसा रसावहा
yayā kayācidvṛtyā yat samānamanubhūyate tadrūpādipadāsattiḥ sānuprasā rasāvahā
Ce dans quoi, par quelque mode d’expression, on éprouve un sentiment de similitude—à savoir l’agencement approprié de mots présentant une ressemblance de forme et autres—est appelé Anuprāsa, et il est porteur de la saveur esthétique (rasa).
Lord Agni (in instruction to Sage Vasiṣṭha, in the Agni Purana’s poetics section)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Natya","practical_application":"Poets and speakers employ patterned phonetic repetition (similarity of sound/letter-form) to heighten musicality and thereby intensify rasa in verse, prose, and performance.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Anuprāsa (Alliteration) as Śabda-alaṅkāra and Rasāvaha","lookup_keywords":["anuprāsa","śabda-alaṅkāra","varṇa-sāmya","rasa","vṛtti"],"quick_summary":"Anuprāsa is the aesthetically effective placement of words with similarity of sound/form, producing a felt resemblance; used correctly, it supports and carries rasa."}
Alamkara Type: Anuprāsa (alliteration/phonetic recurrence)
Concept: Sound (śabda) arranged with perceived similarity can function as a direct aesthetic cause, not merely ornament, by becoming rasa-conducive.
Application: In composition and recitation, choose phoneme clusters and word-order that echo each other without obscuring meaning, so rasa is supported rather than replaced by gimmick.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Alankara/Kavya theory: Shabda-alankara and Rasa)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: śṛṅgāra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A learned poet in a sabhā demonstrates alliterative lines; the audience visibly tastes rasa as the repeated sounds ripple like a musical refrain.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, sabhā of scholars seated on wooden platform, palm-leaf manuscripts, poet reciting with hand-gesture, subtle sound-waves motif around syllables, earthy reds and ochres, traditional ornamentation","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, poet-sage in assembly with gold-leaf highlights on manuscripts and ornaments, stylized speech-scroll showing repeated consonants, symmetrical composition, rich maroons and greens","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional tableau: teacher pointing to written syllable clusters on a board/palm-leaf, students attentive, fine linework, soft shading, emphasis on letter-pattern repetition","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly literary gathering, poet presenting a couplet, delicate calligraphy panel with repeated letters, attentive nobles, detailed textiles and carpets, restrained palette"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Vācaspati","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कयाचिद्वृत्या = कया + चित् + वृत्या; समानमनुभूयते = समानम् + अनुभूयते; तद्रूपादिपदासत्तिः = तत् + रूपादि + पद + आसत्तिः; रसावहा = रस + आवहा
Related Themes: Agni Purana 342 (Śabda-alaṅkāra section); Agni Purana 343 (Rasa/alaṅkāra continuation, if present in the recension)
FAQs
It imparts poetic-technical knowledge (Sāhitya-vidyā): the definition of Anuprāsa as a sound-based ornament arising from apt word-arrangement that creates a perceived similarity and supports rasa.
Beyond ritual and dharma, the Agni Purana also codifies arts and sciences; here it preserves a formal rule of Sanskrit poetics (alaṅkāra-śāstra), showing its coverage of literary aesthetics alongside other disciplines.
By refining sacred and literary speech so it becomes rasa-bearing and effective, the verse supports the ideal of disciplined vāṇī (speech), which traditional thought links with clarity, auspicious expression, and merit through well-formed praise and teaching.