Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 29
Adhyāya 361 — अव्ययवर्गः
Avyaya-vargaḥ) — The Section on Indeclinables (Colophon/Closure
तल्पं शय्याट्टारेषु डिम्भौ तु शिशुवालिशौ स्तम्भौ स्थूणाजडीभावौ सभ्ये संसदि वै सभा
talpaṃ śayyāṭṭāreṣu ḍimbhau tu śiśuvāliśau stambhau sthūṇājaḍībhāvau sabhye saṃsadi vai sabhā
“तल्प” का अर्थ शय्या/बिस्तर है; “शय्या” को “अट्टार” भी कहा जाता है। “डिम्भ” बालक है और अपरिपक्व/मूर्ख (शिशु, वालीश) भी। “स्तम्भ” खंभा है, “स्थूणा” भी; तथा जड़ता/स्तब्धता (जड़ीभाव) भी। “सभ्य” सभासद है और “सभा” संसद/परिषद्/राजदरबार है।
Lord Agni (narrating lexical/śāstric material to Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic register)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Lexical precision in kavya and formal discourse by selecting correct synonyms and recognizing polysemy (beds, children, pillars, assemblies).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Synonyms and Polysemy: talpa/śayyā/aṭṭāra; ḍimbha; stambha/sthūṇā; sabhya/sabhā/saṃsad","lookup_keywords":["talpa","aṭṭāra","ḍimbha","sthūṇā","saṃsad"],"quick_summary":"Gives standard synonym sets and multiple senses for common nouns, helping poets, scribes, and jurists avoid ambiguity in usage."}
Concept: Śabda-artha-sambandha: one word may denote multiple referents; correct meaning is fixed by context.
Application: Interpretation of texts (kavya, dharma, vyavahara) by contextual disambiguation.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Lexicography / Synonyms and technical vocabulary)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A learned paṇḍita in a royal court points to a palm-leaf lexicon while students note synonym sets: bed/couch terms, child/fool senses, pillar/stupor sense, and assembly/council terms.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, ochre-green palette, a guru-paṇḍita teaching nighaṇṭu in a pillared sabhā, palm-leaf manuscripts, stylized faces, flat decorative background, emphasis on stambha (pillar) motif","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf ornate court hall (saṃsad), central scholar with palm-leaf, attendants and students, rich textiles, highlighted pillar and manuscript with embossed gold detailing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, fine linework, instructional classroom scene with labeled objects (talpa, stambha, sabhā), soft colors, minimal gold, clear didactic composition","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly assembly with a lexicographer presenting a glossary to nobles, detailed carpets and architecture, marginal notes indicating synonym pairs, naturalistic faces"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शय्याट्टारेषु = शय्या + अट्टारेषु; प्रत्ययोऽ/अत्ययोऽ patterns not in this verse. Several items are lexicographic equivalences; some duals indicate paired synonyms.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 361 (Śabda-varga/Nighaṇṭu sections); Agni Purana Sahitya-śāstra prakaraṇa on śabda-śuddhi
FAQs
This verse imparts nighaṇṭu-style lexical knowledge: precise Sanskrit synonyms and secondary senses (e.g., stambha as both “pillar” and “stupor/rigidity”), useful for correct interpretation in śāstra, poetry, and formal discourse.
Alongside rituals, polity, medicine, and warfare, the Agni Purana also preserves language-tools—synonyms and semantic ranges—supporting accurate reading of diverse disciplines; this lexicographic cataloging is a hallmark of its encyclopedic scope.
While primarily linguistic, correct understanding of terms is traditionally held to safeguard right recitation, interpretation, and application of dharma and ritual injunctions—reducing error (doṣa) in study and practice.