Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 15
Chapter 342: शब्दालङ्काराः
Verbal/Sound-based Ornaments
तृतीयं त्रिविधं पादस्यादिमध्यान्तगोचरम् पादान्तयमकञ्चैव काञ्चीयमकमेव च
tṛtīyaṃ trividhaṃ pādasyādimadhyāntagocaram pādāntayamakañcaiva kāñcīyamakameva ca
યમકનો તૃતીય ભેદ ત્રિવિધ છે—પાદના આરંભ, મધ્ય અને અંત સ્થાનોમાં થતો. તેમાં ‘પાદાંત-યમક’ તથા ‘કાંચી-યમક’ (કટિબંધ-રૂપ) પણ સમાવેશ પામે છે.
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Natya","practical_application":"Compose and identify the third yamaka variety by intra-pāda placement (beginning/middle/end) and by named patterns (pādānta-yamaka, kāñcī-yamaka), useful for ornamented verse and performative recitation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Tṛtīya-yamaka: ādi–madhya–anta; pādānta and kāñcī types","lookup_keywords":["tṛtīya-yamaka","pādānta-yamaka","kāñcī-yamaka","ādi-madhya-anta","pāda"],"quick_summary":"States a third yamaka category that is threefold within a pāda (beginning, middle, end) and additionally recognizes pāda-end yamaka and the ‘kāñcī’ (girdle-like encircling) yamaka. This guides precise placement of repetition for aesthetic effect."}
Alamkara Type: Yamaka (śabda-alaṅkāra)
Concept: Form (rūpa/saṃsthāna) as a carrier of aesthetic cognition: placement rules generate recognizable beauty-patterns.
Application: During composition, choose a target locus (ādi/madhya/anta or pādānta) and enforce repetition accordingly; in recitation, emphasize the repeated segment to make the yamaka audible.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Alankara/Kavya-poetics: Yamaka-bheda)
Primary Rasa: Adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: Shringara
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A verse is shown divided into a pāda with highlighted repetition at the beginning, middle, and end; a belt (kāñcī) motif encircles the line to symbolize kāñcī-yamaka; another example highlights repetition at pāda-end.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized belt motif around a written pāda, repeated syllables painted in contrasting color at ādi/madhya/anta, guru demonstrating recitation emphasis, traditional palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf belt (kāñcī) motif framing the text strip, repeated syllables embossed, rich ornamentation, scholarly-devotional ambience","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean segmented pāda diagram with three highlighted zones and a separate pādānta example, fine lines and readable annotations","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, calligrapher illustrates a line with repeated endings, decorative sash/belt motif across the page, poets discussing subtle sound-ornament"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bageshri","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पादस्यादिमध्यान्तगोचरम् = पादस्य + आदि-मध्य-अन्त-गोचरम्; पादान्तयमकञ्चैव = पादान्तयमकम् + च + एव; काञ्चीयमकमेव = काञ्चीयमकम् + एव
Related Themes: Agni Purana 342.12 (avyapeta/vyapeta); Agni Purana 342.13-342.14 (positional and enumerative schemes)
FAQs
It teaches a technical classification of yamaka (phonetic repetition) in kavya: repetition scoped to a single pāda at the beginning, middle, or end, including named subtypes like pādānta-yamaka and kāñcī-yamaka.
Beyond theology and ritual, the Agni Purana codifies literary science (sāhitya-śāstra), preserving formal categories of Sanskrit rhetoric used for composing and evaluating poetry.
Indirectly, it supports dharmic learning by refining sacred and courtly expression—mastery of śāstra-based composition is treated as a meritorious form of knowledge (vidyā) when used for truthful, elevating speech.