Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 37
Liṅga-māna-ādi-kathana
Measurements and Related Particulars of the Liṅga
चत्वारि तत्र सूत्राणि भागभागानुपातनात् , चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः बालेन्दुत्रपुषाकृतिरिति ख, ग, घ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः चतुर्भागैर् इति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः अन्त्यभागमिति ग, घ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः चत्वारि तत्र छत्राणि इति ग, घ, ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकचतुष्ट्यपाठः पुण्डरीकन्तु भागेन विशालाख्यं विलोपनात्
catvāri tatra sūtrāṇi bhāgabhāgānupātanāt , cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ bālendutrapuṣākṛtiriti kha, ga, gha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ caturbhāgair iti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ antyabhāgamiti ga, gha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ catvāri tatra chatrāṇi iti ga, gha, ṅa, cihnitapustakacatuṣṭyapāṭhaḥ puṇḍarīkantu bhāgena viśālākhyaṃ vilopanāt
Ici, il y a quatre « sūtras » (fils/unités), déterminés par la retombée proportionnelle des parts (de bhāga à bhāga). (Dans certains manuscrits marqués, on lit : « sa forme est comme la jeune lune et le lotus » ; d’autres lisent : « par quatre parts », ou « la dernière part » ; et certains lisent : « ici il y a quatre ombrelles ».) Mais selon la leçon du manuscrit à quatre marques : « Puṇḍarīka (le motif “lotus”) s’obtient par une part ; et, par élision (vilopa), on l’appelle Viśālā. »
Lord Agni (in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue, typically teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Text-critical and technical identification of metrical/figurative units (sūtras) and named patterns (Puṇḍarīka, Viśālā) based on proportional parts and elision, guiding correct prosodic composition and manuscript reading.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Prosodic units and variant readings: Puṇḍarīka and Viśālā by vilopa","lookup_keywords":["sūtra","bhāgānupāta","puṇḍarīka","viśālā","vilopa"],"quick_summary":"States four sūtras/units determined by proportional part-relations, notes manuscript variants, and affirms that Puṇḍarīka is obtained by a part while by elision (vilopa) it is termed Viśālā."}
Concept: Śāstra depends on pramāṇa through correct pāṭha (reading) and rule-governed derivation (vilopa/anupāta).
Application: For poets and reciters: choose the validated manuscript reading; apply vilopa and part-proportion rules to compose/scan verses in the intended pattern.
Khanda Section: Chandas & Kavya-shastra (Prosody/metrics; technical rules of verse-construction)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A manuscript desk scene: a scholar compares multiple palm-leaf manuscripts with marked readings, pointing to a prosody diagram showing four sūtras/units and a lotus-like (puṇḍarīka) pattern; an alternate reduced form labeled Viśālā via vilopa.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural of a traditional scholar-scribe in a temple library (grantha-bhaṇḍāra), palm-leaf bundles with red string, highlighted variant lines; a lotus diagram labeled Puṇḍarīka and a simplified form labeled Viśālā; warm ochres and deep greens.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: seated vidvān with palm-leaf manuscripts, gold-embossed lotus motif representing Puṇḍarīka; a second motif slightly reduced for Viśālā; ornate frame and gold detailing on manuscript edges.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore instructional folio: clean prosody chart with four sūtra units, arrows showing bhāga-anupāta; a lotus-pattern schematic for Puṇḍarīka and a vilopa-derived variant labeled Viśālā; neat calligraphy.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a court poet and munshi collating manuscripts; margins filled with variant readings; a geometric-floral prosody diagram (lotus) on the page; refined interior with writing implements."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Verse text is heavily interpolated with manuscript notes (चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः etc.); analysis provided for the main readable pādas: ‘चत्वारि तत्र सूत्राणि भागभागानुपातनात् … पुण्डरीकं तु भागेन विशालाख्यं विलोपनात्’. Sandhi: भागभागानुपातनात् = भाग-भाग-अनुपातनात्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana chandas/alaṅkāra sections (later encyclopedic chapters on prosody and poetics); Agni Purana 54 (contextual linkage via technical enumeration and manuscript notes)
FAQs
It conveys chandas/poetics-technical knowledge: how a metrical/diagrammatic type (Puṇḍarīka) is defined by fractional ‘parts’ and how, through vilopa (elision/omission), a related form is termed Viśālā.
Beyond mythology, it preserves specialized śāstra material—prosodic taxonomy, operational rules (like elision), and even manuscript-variant traditions—showing the Purana’s role as a compendium of technical Sanskrit learning.
Indirectly, correct knowledge of chandas supports accurate recitation and composition of sacred and devotional texts; precision in form is traditionally linked to preserving mantra/śāstra integrity and the merit of proper transmission.