Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 30
Chapter 342: शब्दालङ्काराः
Verbal/Sound-based Ornaments
अपनीताक्षरस्थाने न्यस्ते वर्णान्तरे ऽपि च भासते ऽर्थान्तरं यत्र च्युतदत्तं तदुच्यते
apanītākṣarasthāne nyaste varṇāntare 'pi ca bhāsate 'rthāntaraṃ yatra cyutadattaṃ taducyate
നീക്കിയ അക്ഷരത്തിന്റെ സ്ഥാനത്ത് മറ്റൊരു വർണം സ്ഥാപിച്ചതിനാൽ വ്യത്യസ്ത അർത്ഥം പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെടുന്നുവെങ്കിൽ അതിനെ ‘ച്യുത-ദത്തം’ (സ്ഥാനച്യുത പ്രതിസ്ഥാപനം) എന്നു പറയുന്നു.
Lord Agni (narrating to the sage Vashistha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Textual/poetic fault-diagnosis: recognizing when substitution of a different letter in place of a removed syllable produces an unintended different meaning (a corruption or doṣa).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Cyuta-datta doṣa: displaced substitution causing arthāntara","lookup_keywords":["cyuta-datta","akṣara-cyuti","varṇa-nyāsa","arthāntara","pāṭha-doṣa"],"quick_summary":"Cyuta-datta is the fault where, after a syllable is removed, another letter is inserted in its place, making a different meaning appear—often indicating corruption or defective composition."}
Alamkara Type: Doṣa-nirṇaya (śabda-doṣa)
Concept: Small phonemic substitutions can derail meaning; disciplined transmission and composition prevent unintended arthāntara.
Application: For scribes/editors: collate manuscripts and check for letter-substitution errors; for poets: avoid accidental near-homophones that create unwanted meanings.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Kavya and Dosha-Nirnaya)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A scribe erases a syllable and mistakenly inserts a different letter; a teacher points out how the meaning has changed, marking it as cyuta-datta.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, scribe with stylus over palm-leaf, scraped area where an akṣara was removed, new varṇa inserted, teacher gesturing to the changed meaning, earthy palette and bold outlines","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-accented writing desk, palm-leaf with corrected letter, teacher holding a pointer, visual contrast between original and substituted akṣara, ornate border","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional diagram: original syllable crossed out, substituted letter highlighted, arrows showing meaning shift (arthāntara), calm scholarly setting","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, manuscript workshop, one scribe correcting while another compares exemplar, marginal notes indicating the doṣa, fine detail of tools and script"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अपनीताक्षरस्थाने = अपनीत-अक्षर-स्थाने; वर्णान्तरेऽपि = वर्ण-अन्तरे अपि; भासतेऽर्थान्तरं = भासते अर्थ-अन्तरम्; च्युतदत्तं = च्युत-दत्तम्; तदुच्यते = तत् उच्यते
Related Themes: Agni Purana 342.28 (pāṭha-corruption via svara/vyañjana/bindu/visarga); Agni Purana 342.29 (datta: second meaning without substitution)
FAQs
It teaches a technical rule of Sanskrit poetics/philology: identifying the shabda-dosha called cyuta-datta, where an incorrect substitute letter is inserted at the site of an omission, producing a different meaning.
Beyond ritual and theology, the Agni Purana also codifies literary science—classifying textual/phonetic faults used in composing, reciting, and copying verses—showing its coverage of grammar, poetics, and manuscript-level correctness.
By preventing meaning-shifting corruptions in sacred and literary recitation, it supports accurate transmission of dharma-teachings; correctness in utterance and text is treated as a form of purity and faithful preservation of scripture.