Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 20
Explanation of Abhinaya and Related Topics (अभिनयादिनिरूपणम्) — Agni Purana, Chapter 341
वाकोवाक्यमनुप्रासश्चित्रं दुष्करमेव च ज्णेया नवालङ्कृतयः शब्दानामित्यसङ्करात्
vākovākyamanuprāsaścitraṃ duṣkarameva ca jṇeyā navālaṅkṛtayaḥ śabdānāmityasaṅkarāt
vākovākya, anuprāsa, citra ແລະ duṣkara ເຫຼົ່ານີ້ ຄວນເຂົ້າໃຈວ່າເປັນ «ອະລັງການແຫ່ງຄໍາ» ຈໍານວນເກົ້າ ຂອງສຽງ/ຄໍາ ເນື່ອງຈາກຖືກແຍກອອກບໍ່ໃຫ້ປົນກັນ।
Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Differentiate and practice distinct śabdālaṅkāras (including anuprāsa and citra) without mixing; useful for composition drills and critique.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Nava-Śabdālaṅkāra and Asaṅkara (Non-mixture) Principle","lookup_keywords":["nava alaṅkāra","anuprāsa","citra","duṣkara","asaṅkara"],"quick_summary":"The verse points to a set of word-ornaments (including vākovākya, anuprāsa, citra, duṣkara) and stresses asaṅkara—keeping each device conceptually distinct."}
Alamkara Type: Anuprāsa; Citra; (and other śabdālaṅkāras as a set)
Concept: Lakṣaṇa-bheda (distinct defining marks) and asaṅkara in śāstric analysis
Application: When analyzing a verse, identify the dominant śabdālaṅkāra by its defining feature (sound-pattern, arrangement, difficulty) rather than forcing multiple labels.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Alankara & Kavya-lakshana)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A manuscript diagram showing nine word-ornaments as separate boxes; a teacher emphasizes ‘asaṅkara’ by keeping lines unconnected between categories.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, teacher with stylus drawing nine compartments on palm-leaf, each labeled with śabdālaṅkāra names (anuprāsa, citra, etc.), bold decorative borders, didactic posture","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ornate framed chart of nine śabdālaṅkāras held by a guru, gold-leaf accents on the manuscript edges, disciples attentive, rich temple-like interior","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style instructional illustration: clean labeled grid of nava-alaṅkāra, teacher pointing to ‘asaṅkara’ note, muted colors, clarity-focused composition","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a kitabkhana (library workshop), scholars comparing pages, one page shows separated headings for anuprāsa/citra/duṣkara, meticulous calligraphy and margins"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वाकः+वाक्यम्→वाकोवाक्यम्; अनुप्रासः+चित्रम्→अनुप्रासश्चित्रम्; इति+असङ्करात्→इत्यसङ्करात्; ‘ज्णेया’ पाठे ‘ज्ञेयाः’ (orthographic) ग्रहणम्
Related Themes: Agni Purana 341 (continuation: definitions of chāyā and allied śabdālaṅkāras)
FAQs
It imparts kavya-śāstra knowledge: a classification of śabdālaṅkāras (sound-based poetic ornaments), naming figures like anuprāsa (alliteration) and citra (patterned/ingenious composition) as distinct categories.
Beyond theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves systematic literary theory, showing that it also functions as a handbook of Sanskrit poetics (alankāra-śāstra) alongside its many other disciplines.
While primarily technical, it supports dharmic cultivation through refined speech and disciplined learning; mastering śāstra and using well-formed language is traditionally treated as a meritorious form of self-purification and right expression (vāṅmaya-saṃskāra).