Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 21
Explanation of Abhinaya and Related Topics (अभिनयादिनिरूपणम्) — Agni Purana, Chapter 341
तत्रान्योक्तेरनुकृतिश्छाया सापि चत्रुव्विधा लोकच्छेकार्भकोक्तीनामेकोक्तेरनुकारतः
tatrānyokteranukṛtiśchāyā sāpi catruvvidhā lokacchekārbhakoktīnāmekokteranukārataḥ
ក្នុងបរិបទនោះ «ឆាយា» (chāyā) គឺជាការត្រាប់តាម (anukṛti) នៃពាក្យសម្តីរបស់អ្នកដទៃ; ហើយវាមាន៤ប្រភេទ—កើតពីការត្រាប់តាមពាក្យតែមួយ ដូចដែលឃើញក្នុងសម្តីរបស់មនុស្សទូទៅ អ្នកឆ្លាតវៃ និងកុមារ។
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Compose or detect chāyā by controlled imitation of another’s utterance; practice four registers (common, witty, childlike, etc.) to create stylistic ‘shadow’.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Chāyā as Anukṛti (Imitative Shadow) and its Fourfold Register","lookup_keywords":["chāyā alaṅkāra","anukṛti","anyokti","lokokti","bālokoṭi"],"quick_summary":"Chāyā is defined as an imitation of another’s expression, producing a ‘shadow’ of the original. It is analyzed as fourfold via imitation of a single utterance across different speech-registers (folk, clever, childlike, etc.)."}
Alamkara Type: Chāyā (śabdālaṅkāra)
Concept: Pramāṇa of style through anukaraṇa (modeled speech) and bheda (subtypes)
Application: In pedagogy, assign students a source utterance and require four chāyā-variants to train control over diction and tone.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Kavya/Alankara: Poetics and figures of speech)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: hasya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A poet demonstrates how one original line is echoed in four styles: folk proverb, clever quip, child’s phrasing, and a refined variant—shown as four parallel manuscript lines casting a ‘shadow’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, poet-teacher with four disciples representing different registers (villager, court wit, child, refined student), each holding a palm-leaf with a variant line, stylized shadows behind the text panels","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central poet with gold halo, four small inset panels around showing the four chāyā variants written on manuscripts, ornate gold borders, saturated colors","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional layout: one ‘original utterance’ at top, four neatly labeled derivative lines below (lokokti/chekokti/bālokoṭi etc.), teacher pointing with stylus, clarity and symmetry","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, literary workshop with a master dictating and scribes writing four versions of a line on separate sheets, subtle humor in expressions, fine calligraphy and margins"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तत्र+अन्योक्तेः→तत्रान्योक्तेः; अन्योक्तेः+अनुकृतिः→अन्योक्तेरनुकृतिः; अनुकृतिः+छाया→अनुकृतिश्छाया; सा+अपि→सापि; ‘चत्रुव्विधा’ पाठे ‘चतुर्विधा’ ग्रहणम्; उक्तीनाम्+एकोक्तेः→उक्तीनामेकोक्तेः
Related Themes: Agni Purana 341.19-341.23 (śabdālaṅkāra section: chāyā and its subtypes)
FAQs
It imparts kavya-śāstra knowledge: the definition of chāyā (shadow/echo-style expression) as anukṛti—imitation of another’s wording—and notes its fourfold classification based on how a single utterance is imitated (including folk, witty, and childlike modes of speech).
Beyond theology and ritual, the Agni Purana codifies technical literary theory (alaṅkāra-śāstra). This verse functions like a handbook definition, showing the text’s encyclopedic reach into Sanskrit poetics and rhetoric.
Indirectly, it supports dharmic cultivation through refined speech and learning: mastering correct literary categories is part of śāstra-jñāna (disciplined knowledge), traditionally valued as a purifying, merit-supporting pursuit when aligned with truth and right conduct.