Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 24
Chapter 342: शब्दालङ्काराः
Verbal/Sound-based Ornaments
स प्रश्नः स्यादेकपृष्टद्विपृष्टोत्तरभेदतः द्विधैकपृष्टो द्विविधः समस्तो व्यस्त एव च
sa praśnaḥ syādekapṛṣṭadvipṛṣṭottarabhedataḥ dvidhaikapṛṣṭo dvividhaḥ samasto vyasta eva ca
‘પ્રશ્ન’ એક-પૃષ્ટ અને દ્વિ-પૃષ્ટના ભેદથી તથા ઉત્તર-રૂપના ભેદથી વિભાજિત થાય છે. એક-પૃષ્ટ બે પ્રકારનો; દ્વિ-પૃષ્ટ પણ બે પ્રકારનો—સમસ્ત (એકસાથે) અને વ્યસ્ત (અલગ અલગ).
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana narrator) speaking to Vashistha
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Natya","practical_application":"Helps poets, debaters, and dramatists structure question-and-answer puzzles: single vs double inquiry, and whether answers are delivered jointly or separately—useful for sabhā games and stage dialogue.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Praśna-bheda: Eka-pṛṣṭa/Dvi-pṛṣṭa and Samasta/Vyasta Answering","lookup_keywords":["praśna","eka-pṛṣṭa","dvi-pṛṣṭa","samasta","vyasta"],"quick_summary":"Questions are categorized by number of inquiries (one or two) and by answer-format: combined (samasta) or separate (vyasta), yielding a practical taxonomy for poetic and performative puzzles."}
Alamkara Type: Praśna-prayoga (interrogative puzzle form)
Concept: Analytic taxonomy improves communicative precision: by distinguishing inquiry-units and answer-aggregation, one controls audience cognition and dramatic timing.
Application: When scripting a scene or composing a sabhā-praśna, decide whether to bundle answers (samasta) for punchline effect or separate them (vyasta) for stepwise revelation.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Prashna/Anuprashna classification in poetics and dramaturgy)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: hāsya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dramatist-scholar draws a simple schema: one-question vs two-question branches, then combined vs separate answers; students rehearse a Q&A exchange on stage.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized stage with actors practicing praśnottara, teacher holding a palm-leaf with branching diagram, bold outlines and traditional costume detailing","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, theatrical Q&A scene with gold accents on costumes and stage arch, two speech-scrolls merging (samasta) and splitting (vyasta) as visual symbols","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, classroom diagrammatic composition: branching taxonomy chart beside a small staged vignette, fine lines and muted elegance","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, court theatre rehearsal, playwright indicating combined vs separate replies, delicate speech-scrolls, detailed architecture and textiles"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्यादेकपृष्ट... = स्यात् + एकपृष्ट...; एकपृष्टद्विपृष्टोत्तरभेदतः = एकपृष्ट + द्विपृष्ट + उत्तर + भेदतः; द्विधैकपृष्टो = द्विधा + एकपृष्टः
Related Themes: Agni Purana 342.22 (praśna and related forms); Agni Purana 342.25 (prahelikā definition)
FAQs
It teaches a technical classification of ‘praśna’ (question) used in Sanskrit literary and rhetorical analysis—distinguishing single vs. double inquiries and whether answers are given jointly (samasta) or separately (vyasta).
Beyond ritual and theology, the Agni Purana also preserves systematic knowledge of communication and literary science (śāstra), including how discourse is structured through question-types and answer-forms—an example of its wide, encyclopedic scope.
While primarily śāstric (technical), it supports dharmic learning by promoting precise inquiry and clear instruction—qualities traditionally valued for correct understanding (jñāna) and right practice (ācāra).