Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 14

Chapter 338 — शृङ्गारादिरसनिरूपणम्

Exposition of the Rasas beginning with Śṛṅgāra

Devanagari script

हर्षादिभिश् च मनसो विकाशो हास उच्यते चित्रादिदर्शनाच्चेतोवैक्लव्यं ब्रुवते भयम्

Transliteration

harṣādibhiś ca manaso vikāśo hāsa ucyate citrādidarśanāccetovaiklavyaṃ bruvate bhayam

Translation

ການເປີດບານຂອງໃຈ ອັນເກີດຈາກ harsa (ຄວາມຍິນດີ) ແລະເຫດອື່ນໆ ເອີ້ນວ່າ hāsa (ຫົວເຮາະ). ຄວາມວຸ້ນວາຍຂອງຈິດ ຈາກການເຫັນສິ່ງແປກປະຫຼາດ ເອີ້ນວ່າ bhaya (ຄວາມຢ້ານ).

Word by Word

• हर्ष-आदिभिः: by joy and the like
• हर्ष-आदिभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘हर्षः आदिः येषाम्’ (by joy etc.)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मनसः: of the mind
• मनसः: Sambandha/Ṣaṣṭhī (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• विकाशः: expansion; blossoming
• विकाशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• हासः: laughter
• हासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि (passive)

• चित्र-आदि-दर्शनात्: from seeing marvels etc.
• चित्र-आदि-दर्शनात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘चित्रादीनां दर्शनम्’ (from seeing wonders etc.)

• चेतः-वैक्लव्यम्: agitation/perturbation of mind
• चेतः-वैक्लव्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वैक्लव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘चेतसः वैक्लव्यम्’

• ब्रुवते: (they) say/call
• ब्रुवते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; नामनिर्देशे कर्म (object of ‘call’)

Speaker

Lord Agni (instructing Vasiṣṭha in encyclopedic topics, here poetics/aesthetics)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: hasya

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: harṣādibhiś ca = harṣādibhiḥ ca; citrādidarśanāc = citrādidarśanāt; darśanāccetovaiklavyaṃ = darśanāt cetaḥ-vaiklavyaṃ.

Characters & Entities

• Agni Purana
• Hāsa
• Bhaya
• Bhāva

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It imparts kavya-śāstra (Sāhitya/Alankāra) technical definitions: hāsa is the mind’s opening due to joy, while bhaya is mental perturbation caused by perceiving strange or unsettling objects.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Beyond ritual and dharma, the Agni Purana also codifies literary aesthetics and psychological-emotive taxonomy (bhāvas), showing its scope as a compendium that includes Sanskrit poetics alongside religious instruction.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

By naming and discerning inner states like laughter and fear, one gains self-awareness and emotional discipline—supporting steadiness of mind (sattva) that aids ethical conduct, worship, and contemplative practice.