Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 7
Chapter 338 — शृङ्गारादिरसनिरूपणम्
Exposition of the Rasas beginning with Śṛṅgāra
वीरो ऽवष्टम्भजः सङ्कोचभूर्वीभत्स इष्यते शृङ्गाराज्ज्यायते हासो रौद्रात्तु करुणो रसः
vīro 'vaṣṭambhajaḥ saṅkocabhūrvībhatsa iṣyate śṛṅgārājjyāyate hāso raudrāttu karuṇo rasaḥ
वीर रस अवष्टम्भ (आत्मविश्वास/धैर्य) से उत्पन्न कहा गया है। बीभत्स रस का आधार संकोच (विकर्ष/घृणा) माना जाता है। शृंगार से हास्य उत्पन्न होता है और रौद्र से करुण रस।
Lord Agni (teaching sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s didactic dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Natya","practical_application":"Rasa-generation rules for dramaturgy: craft characters and plot turns so vīra, bībhatsa, hāsya, and karuṇa arise from their stated psychological grounds and inter-rasa derivations.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Causal grounds of Vīra and Bībhatsa; derivation of Hāsya and Karuṇa","lookup_keywords":["vīra","avaṣṭambha","bībhatsa","saṅkoca","hāsya-karuṇa"],"quick_summary":"Gives causal bases: vīra from self-assurance, bībhatsa from revulsion; also notes relational derivations—hāsya as an outgrowth of śṛṅgāra, and karuṇa arising from raudra."}
Concept: Rasas have identifiable psychological roots (avaṣṭambha, saṅkoca) and can transform: śṛṅgāra can shade into hāsya; raudra can culminate in karuṇa through consequence and loss.
Application: In plot design: (1) establish avaṣṭambha via vows, honor, readiness—evoke vīra; (2) show saṅkoca via contamination/repulsion—evoke bībhatsa; (3) let playful excess of love produce hāsya; (4) let violence’s aftermath (death, ruin) turn raudra into karuṇa.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Rasa-nirupana / Alankara-shastra)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Four linked vignettes: (1) a steadfast hero taking an oath (vīra from avaṣṭambha), (2) a figure recoiling from something foul (bībhatsa from saṅkoca), (3) lovers teasing and laughing (hāsya from śṛṅgāra), (4) a battlefield aftermath with mourning (karuṇa from raudra).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural quadriptych: heroic oath scene, disgust recoil scene, playful lovers with laughter, mourning after battle; bold outlines, expressive eyes, ornamental borders, temple mural palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: four gold-framed panels with embossed halos—heroic warrior, bībhatsa recoil, laughing couple, grieving widow/parent; heavy gold work and rich colors.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional four-panel rasa chart with labels (Vīra/ Bībhatsa/ Hāsya/ Karuṇa) and arrows showing derivation (Śṛṅgāra→Hāsya, Raudra→Karuṇa); delicate detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: album page with four scenes separated by ruled borders; fine facial expressions—pride, revulsion, mirth, grief; detailed costumes and architecture; calligraphic captions."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vīro 'vaṣṭambhajaḥ = vīraḥ + avaṣṭambha-jaḥ; śṛṅgārājjāyate = śṛṅgārāt + jāyate; raudrāttu = raudrāt + tu.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: rasa definitions and lakṣaṇas for vīra, bībhatsa, hāsya, karuṇa; Agni Purana: bhāva/anubhāva lists supporting each rasa
FAQs
It imparts kavya-śāstra (Sanskrit poetics) knowledge: specific causal/derivative relations among rasas—Vīra from avaṣṭambha (firm confidence), Bībhatsa grounded in saṅkoca (revulsion), Hāsya arising from Śṛṅgāra, and Karuṇa arising from Raudra.
Beyond theology and ritual, the Agni Purana functions as a compendium by summarizing core principles of Sanskrit aesthetics (rasa theory), showing that the text also preserves technical arts—literary criticism, dramaturgy-related sentiment analysis, and compositional guidance for poets.
By clarifying how emotions transform and interrelate in art, the verse supports disciplined expression and refined sensibility (saṃskāra) in speech and literature—encouraging ethical, measured depiction of passions so that art elevates the mind rather than inflaming it.