Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 23
Chapter 336 — काव्यादिलक्षणम्
Definitions of Poetry and Related Arts
सा विद्या नौस्तितीषूर्णां गभीरं काव्यसागरं महाकाव्यं कलापश् च पर्याबन्धो विशेषकम्
sā vidyā naustitīṣūrṇāṃ gabhīraṃ kāvyasāgaraṃ mahākāvyaṃ kalāpaś ca paryābandho viśeṣakam
វិជ្ជានោះដូចជានាវាសម្រាប់អ្នកប្រាថ្នាឆ្លងសមុទ្រកំណាព្យដ៏ជ្រៅ; វាបកស្រាយមហាកាវ្យ (កាវ្យធំ), កលាប (សំណុំកំណាព្យ), បរិយាបន្ធ (ស្នាដៃរចនាសម្ព័ន្ធរឹងមាំ), និង វិសេសក (ទម្រង់កាវ្យពិសេស)។
Lord Agni (in discourse to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Natya","practical_application":"Classify and design poetic compositions (especially long-form) by recognizing genre-structures such as mahākāvya and related bound forms; use as a study-map for composing and critiquing kāvya.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Kāvya-sāgara-taraṇopāya: Mahākāvya and allied bound poetic forms","lookup_keywords":["mahākāvya","kalāpa","paryābandha","viśeṣaka","kāvya-sāgara"],"quick_summary":"Poetics is presented as a practical ‘boat’ for crossing the deep ocean of kāvya, by teaching key long-form genres and tightly structured compositions. Use these labels to choose an appropriate architecture for a poem and to evaluate whether a work fits its intended form."}
Alamkara Type: Rūpaka (metaphor: vidyā as a boat; kāvya as an ocean)
Concept: Śāstra as upāya (instrument): systematic knowledge enables mastery of a vast domain.
Application: Approach kāvya through defined categories and compositional ‘bandhas’ rather than imitation alone.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Kavya and Alankara)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A learned teacher points to a vast ocean labeled ‘Kāvya-sāgara’; a small boat labeled ‘Vidyā/Śāstra’ carries students toward islands named Mahākāvya, Kalāpa, Paryābandha, and Viśeṣaka.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, ochre-red background, stylized ocean waves with lotus motifs, guru in traditional attire holding palm-leaf manuscript, boat marked ‘Vidyā’, islands labeled in Devanagari: महाकाव्य, कलाप, पर्याबन्ध, विशेषक; flat iconic composition, bold outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, rich gold leaf highlights on the boat and manuscript, deep blue ocean, ornate borders, central guru figure with halo-like aureole, small cartouches naming mahākāvya/kalāpa/paryābandha/viśeṣaka, jewel-toned palette.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, delicate linework, soft shading, instructional tableau: guru explaining genre-map on a scroll while students sit in a row; ocean-and-boat metaphor in the background; clean labels for each genre.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, fine brushwork, layered waves, scholars in a riverside pavilion, a symbolic boat on the water with calligraphed labels; detailed textiles and architectural frame, restrained palette with gold accents."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: naustitīṣūrṇām → nauḥ + titīṣūrṇām; kalāpaś ca → kalāpaḥ + ca.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 336 (Sāhitya-śāstra section: kāvya-lakṣaṇa and bheda)
FAQs
It imparts sāhitya-vidyā (poetics): a technical taxonomy of literary compositions—especially mahākāvya and related structured forms—framed as the practical ‘boat’ for navigating and mastering the vast body of Sanskrit poetry.
By cataloging formal genres of kavya (mahākāvya, kalāpa, paryābandha, viśeṣaka), the Agni Purana functions as a compendium not only of ritual and dharma, but also of classical arts and scholarly disciplines, including Sanskrit literary theory.
The verse elevates disciplined learning as a means of ‘crossing’ difficult domains; in a Purāṇic frame, mastery of vidyā supports dharmic living, refined speech, and sattvic cultivation, which are treated as spiritually meritorious.