Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 5
Chapter 347: One-syllable Appellations (एकाक्षराभिधानम्)
गङ्गीते गो गायने स्यद् घो घण्टा किङ्किणीमुखे ताडने ङश् च विषये स्पृहायाञ्चैव भैरवे
gaṅgīte go gāyane syad gho ghaṇṭā kiṅkiṇīmukhe tāḍane ṅaś ca viṣaye spṛhāyāñcaiva bhairave
Au sens de « chant » (gīta), on emploie la syllabe ‘go’ ; au sens de « chanter » (gāyana), on emploie ‘gho’. ‘gho’ désigne aussi une cloche et la bouche/l’ouverture d’une clochette (kiṅkiṇī). La syllabe ‘ṅaś’ s’emploie au sens de « frapper » (tāḍana), et aussi aux sens de « domaine/objet » (viṣaya) et « désir ardent » (spṛhā), et de même au sens de « terrible/effrayant » (bhairava).
Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha in an encyclopedic/technical register)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vyakarana","secondary_vidya":"Natya","practical_application":"Semantic indexing of syllables used as shorthand for musical/performative terms and emotive states; aids poets, dramaturges, and commentators in decoding/using compact diction.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Syllable glosses: go/gho/ṅaś — song, singing, bell, striking, object, longing, Bhairava","lookup_keywords":["go gita","gho gayana","gho ghanta","ṅaś tadana","ṅaś bhairava"],"quick_summary":"Maps syllables to meanings: go = song; gho = singing and also bell/kiṅkiṇī-mouth; ṅaś = striking and also object (viṣaya), longing (spṛhā), and the fearsome (Bhairava)—useful for compact reference and layered poetic usage."}
Alamkara Type: Shlesha
Concept: Phoneme as semantic trigger across domains (music, objects of cognition, desire, and the terrible), showing contextual elasticity of śabda.
Application: Helps craft or interpret verses where a syllable evokes music/percussion or shifts to bhairava/raudra mood by context.
Khanda Section: Vyakarana / Shabda-nirukti (phonetics and lexical meanings in Agni Purana’s encyclopedic sections)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A composite scene: a singer performing (go=gīta, gho=gāyana), a bell/kiṅkiṇī being rung (gho=ghaṇṭā), a striking action (ṅaś=tāḍana), and a shadowy Bhairava presence to indicate the fearsome sense; a lexicon strip labels each syllable.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, temple performance vignette: vocalist and percussion, prominent bell and anklet-bells (kiṅkiṇī), dynamic striking gesture, looming Bhairava silhouette with fierce aura; bold outlines, warm palette, labeled Sanskrit syllables ‘गो घो ङश्’","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ornate musical tableau with gold: singer and bell, kiṅkiṇī details in gold relief, inset fierce Bhairava medallion, Sanskrit glyphs ‘गो घो ङश्’ in raised gold, rich reds and greens","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional panel showing icons for song, singing, bell, striking, object/viṣaya, longing/spṛhā, and Bhairava; clean labels and gentle shading","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly music scene with a bell-ringer, marginal illustration of a striking action, and a small fierce Bhairava vignette; fine calligraphy noting ‘go/gho/ṅaś’ meanings, detailed textiles and instruments"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्यद्→स्यात् (पाठभेद); स्पृहायाञ्चैव→स्पृहायाम् च एव; ङश्→ङः (विसर्ग-लोप/लिप्यन्तर)
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Sahitya/Vyakarana kośa-style lists in ch. 347
FAQs
It imparts nirukti-style semantic mapping: specific syllables/phonemes (go, gho, ṅaś) are assigned conventional meanings (song, singing, bell, striking, desire, fearsome), useful for grammatical, lexical, and mantra/phonetic interpretation.
Beyond mythology and ritual, it preserves technical linguistic knowledge—phonetic/lexical equivalences—showing the text’s coverage of vyākaraṇa and word-meaning traditions alongside other sciences.
By clarifying sound-to-meaning conventions, it supports correct recitation and comprehension of sacred language; accuracy in śabda (sound) is traditionally linked with efficacy of prayer/mantra and the merit of properly performed rites.