Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 19
Rudra-śānti (रुद्रशान्ति)
अकारादिहकारन्ताः क्रमात् पक्षौ सितासितौ अनुस्वारविसर्गेण विना चैव स्वरा दश
akārādihakārantāḥ kramāt pakṣau sitāsitau anusvāravisargeṇa vinā caiva svarā daśa
「a」から「ha」まで順に、二つの系列があり、すなわち「白」（śita）と「黒」（asita）の群である。さらに anusvāra と visarga を除けば、母音は十である。
Lord Agni (teaching traditional śāstra classifications in the Agni Purana)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vyakarana","secondary_vidya":"Alamkara","practical_application":"Foundational phonetic/varṇa classification for teaching Sanskrit sounds: ordering from a to ha, grouping into two vargas/series, and enumerating vowels excluding anusvāra and visarga.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Varṇa-mālā: a–ha ordering; two groups; ten vowels (excluding anusvāra/visarga)","lookup_keywords":["a to ha","svara","anusvāra","visarga","varṇa-mālā"],"quick_summary":"Gives a compact phonetic schema: letters run from a to ha; two ordered groupings are noted; vowels are counted as ten when anusvāra and visarga are excluded—useful for primers and recitation training."}
Concept: Śabda-śuddhi: correct sound-knowledge as a prerequisite for mantra, ritual, and literature.
Application: Use as a mnemonic rule in teaching alphabets and in checking recitation accuracy.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Vyakarana/Varna-vijnana: Sanskrit phonetics and letters)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A classroom scene: a guru points to a written varṇamālā from ‘a’ to ‘ha’, highlighting two grouped columns (white/black series) and circling the ten vowels while leaving out anusvāra and visarga.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural; guru and students with palm-leaf board showing a–ha; two color-coded columns (śita/asita) and a highlighted vowel row; traditional scholastic interior.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore; gold-embellished manuscript page with varṇamālā; guru seated on pedestal teaching; ornate borders; vowels highlighted with gold dots, anusvāra/visarga shown but crossed out.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting; neat instructional chart of letters; teacher demonstrating pronunciation with hand gesture; fine detailing of script and learning tools.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature; madrasa-like setting with Sanskrit scholar; manuscript showing a–ha; students holding tablets; meticulous calligraphy and architectural background."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अकारादिहकारन्ताः = अकार-आदि-हकार-अन्ताः. चैव = च + एव.
Related Themes: Agni Purana sections on śikṣā/varṇa-vijñāna and sāhitya-śāstra topics
FAQs
It teaches a phonetic-grammatical classification of Sanskrit sounds: the alphabetic range from ‘a’ to ‘ha’, the division into two sets (sita/asita), and the count of vowels as ten when anusvāra and visarga are excluded.
Alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and warfare, the Agni Purana also preserves linguistic science (śikṣā/vyākaraṇa). This verse exemplifies its catalog-style transmission of technical definitions used for correct recitation, learning, and textual preservation.
Correct knowledge of sounds supports accurate mantra pronunciation and Vedic-style recitation; such precision is traditionally held to safeguard meaning and efficacy, thereby aiding purity of worship and merit from properly performed sacred speech.