Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 2
Chapter 336 — काव्यादिलक्षणम्
Definitions of Poetry and Related Arts
शास्त्रेतिहासवाक्यानां त्रयं यत्र समाप्यते शास्त्रे शब्दप्रधानत्वमितिहासेषु निष्ठता
śāstretihāsavākyānāṃ trayaṃ yatra samāpyate śāstre śabdapradhānatvamitihāseṣu niṣṭhatā
កន្លែងណាដែលពាក្យបីប្រភេទ—ពាក្យនៃសាស្ត្រ និងពាក្យនៃអិតិហាស—ត្រូវបានបញ្ចប់ន័យ និងកំណត់ព្រំដែន; ក្នុងសាស្ត្រ គេដាក់សារៈសំខាន់លើពាក្យសម្រួល (សព្ទ) ជាចម្បង ខណៈក្នុងអិតិហាស គេផ្តោតលើន័យដែលបានបង្កប់ជាច្បាស់ និងការរក្សាសេចក្តីពិតនៃរឿងរ៉ាវ។
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Distinguishing how śāstra and itihāsa communicate: use this to choose interpretive method—literal/word-focused for technical treatises, purport-and-narrative fidelity for epics and legends.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Śāstra vs Itihāsa: primacy of wording and primacy of purport","lookup_keywords":["śāstra","itihāsa","śabda-prādhānya","niṣṭhatā","vākya-traya"],"quick_summary":"The verse contrasts discourse types: śāstra prioritizes precise verbal formulation, while itihāsa prioritizes settled meaning and faithful narrative adherence—guiding how each should be read and taught."}
Concept: Hermeneutic discipline: different pramāṇa-styles require different reading priorities (śabda vs artha/niṣṭhā).
Application: In śāstra, preserve exact wording and definitions; in itihāsa, track narrative intent, ethical exemplars, and consistent purport across episodes.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Itihasa–Shastra Lakshana / Classification of Disciplines and Narrative Types)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A split scene: on one side a strict śāstra classroom with definitions on a board; on the other side a storyteller reciting itihāsa with listeners, emphasizing meaning and narrative fidelity; a central caption contrasts śabda-pradhāna and niṣṭhā.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural diptych, left: guru with śāstra manuscript and precise recitation; right: itihāsa kathā in a temple courtyard, listeners seated; bold labels śabda-prādhānya and niṣṭhatā.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, two framed panels with gold borders: śāstra scholar with manuscript and stylus; itihāsa narrator with gestures; gold-lettered captions, rich colors.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional comparative chart integrated into the scene, neat calligraphy, calm scholarly mood, clear differentiation of settings.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, court scholar reading a treatise contrasted with a bard narrating an epic, fine architectural interiors, delicate border, subtle textual labels."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: śāstretihāsavākyānāṃ → śāstra-itihāsa-vākyānām; śabdapradhānatvam itihāseṣu → śabda-pradhānatvam itihāseṣu.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 336 (kāvyādi-lakṣaṇa: classification of verbal arts)
FAQs
It imparts a technical hermeneutic distinction: śāstra is evaluated primarily by precise verbal formulation (śabda-pradhāna), whereas itihāsa is valued for fixed purport and faithful narrative intent (niṣṭhatā).
By defining how different knowledge-genres function—treatise versus epic narrative—it equips readers to interpret diverse subjects in the Agni Purana (ritual, law, medicine, poetics) using genre-appropriate standards of authority.
Correctly discerning genre—treatise by exact wording and epic by settled purport—supports right understanding (samyag-jñāna), reducing interpretive error and thereby strengthening dharmic practice and scriptural confidence.