Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 26
Explanation of Abhinaya and Related Topics (अभिनयादिनिरूपणम्) — Agni Purana, Chapter 341
अभिप्रायविशेषेण कविशक्तिं विवृण्वती मुत्प्रदायिनीति सा मुद्रा सैव शय्यापि नो मते
abhiprāyaviśeṣeṇa kaviśaktiṃ vivṛṇvatī mutpradāyinīti sā mudrā saiva śayyāpi no mate
ឧបករណ៍នោះ ដែលដោយអត្ថន័យបំណងពិសេស បើកបង្ហាញអំណាចបញ្ចេញសម្តីរបស់កវី ហើយផ្តល់អត្ថន័យដែលចង់បាន ត្រូវហៅថា «មុទ្រា» (mudrā)។ តាមទស្សនៈរបស់យើង ពាក្យដូចគ្នានេះក៏ហៅថា «សយ្យា» (śayyā) ផងដែរ។
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana frame: Agni instructing Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"To identify and employ 'mudra' (also termed 'shayya' here) as a meaning-sealing expressive device that reveals poetic power by a specific intended sense, ensuring the audience grasps the intended import.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Mudrā / Śayyā (meaning-yielding expressive device)","lookup_keywords":["mudra","shayya","abhipraya","kavi-shakti","artha-pradayini"],"quick_summary":"Mudrā is the device that, by a particular intended sense (abhiprāya-viśeṣa), manifests the poet’s expressive power and delivers the intended meaning; the text equates this with the term śayyā."}
Alamkara Type: Mudrā (device/marker)
Concept: Meaning is not only lexical; it is guided by intention (abhiprāya) and interpretive cues that activate poetic power.
Application: When composing, place a ‘mudrā’—a decisive cue (name, epithet, refrain, signature-phrase, or contextual marker)—so the reader resolves ambiguity toward the intended sense.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Kavya-śāstra / Alaṅkāra-śāstra: poetic theory and technical terminology)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A poet places a final ‘seal’ word in a verse; the audience’s confusion clears as the intended meaning becomes evident, depicted as a knot untied by a marked token labeled mudrā/śayyā.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, poet in scholarly hall, a glowing word-token (mudrā) hovering above manuscript, listeners’ faces shifting from puzzled to understanding, stylized lotus motifs, earthy palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central poet with manuscript, gold-leaf ‘seal’ emblem near the concluding phrase, attentive listeners, ornate arch frame, rich reds and gold","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional diagram-like scene: verse line with highlighted ‘mudrā’ segment, poet pointing, students seated, clean composition and fine detailing","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, literary salon, poet presenting a couplet, a highlighted cartouche around the key ‘mudrā’ word, scholars gesturing in agreement, intricate borders"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अभिप्रायविशेषेण = अभिप्राय-विशेषेण; मुत्प्रदायिनीति = मुत्-प्रदायिनी इति; सैव = सा एव; शय्यापि = शय्या अपि
Related Themes: Agni Purana 341.27 (ukti: captivating expression)
FAQs
It gives a technical definition from kavya-śāstra: ‘mudrā’ is a meaning-producing marker/device that reveals the poet’s intended sense and expressive power; it is also termed ‘śayyā’ in this tradition.
Beyond myth and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves compact, śāstra-style definitions for arts like Sanskrit poetics—showing it functions as a multi-disciplinary handbook of classical knowledge.
Indirectly, it supports dharmic cultivation through refined speech and correct understanding of meaning—valued in Indian tradition as a form of disciplined expression aligned with truth (satya) and right intention (abhiprāya).