Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 45
वागीश्वरीपूजा
The Worship of Vāgīśvarī
ऊर्ध्वं द्विपदिकं लोप्य हरेर्भद्राष्टकं स्मृतम् रश्मिमानसमायुक्तवेदलोपाच्च शोभिकम्
ūrdhvaṃ dvipadikaṃ lopya harerbhadrāṣṭakaṃ smṛtam raśmimānasamāyuktavedalopācca śobhikam
Apabila unit dua kaki di bahagian atas (permulaan) digugurkan, metrum itu dikenang sebagai ‘Harer-bhadrāṣṭaka’. Ia juga disebut ‘Śobhika’ kerana berkaitan dengan pola yang dinamakan Raśmi dan Mānasa serta kerana pengguguran bahagian yang disebut Veda.
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purana’s didactic narration)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Natya","practical_application":"Identifying and composing a specific metrical form (Harer-bhadrāṣṭaka/Śobhika) by applying prescribed elisions and pattern-associations, useful for hymnody, eulogy, and staged recitation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Harer-bhadrāṣṭaka (Śobhika) Chandas by Dvipada-lopa","lookup_keywords":["Harer-bhadrāṣṭaka","Śobhika chandas","dvipada-lopa","Raśmi","Mānasa"],"quick_summary":"Defines a named metre produced by eliding the initial two-foot unit and characterized by associations called Raśmi and Mānasa, also termed Śobhika due to its pleasing structure."}
Concept: Beauty (śobhā) in sacred/literary speech is rule-governed; controlled omission can generate recognized metrical identities.
Application: Compose stotras or narrative verses in the defined chandas by applying the stated lopa and maintaining the recognized pattern families.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Chandas/Prosody and metrical-lakshana)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A palm-leaf manuscript page showing a metrical schema: an initial dvipada unit crossed out (lopa), the remaining pattern labeled Harer-bhadrāṣṭaka/Śobhika, with side notes ‘Raśmi’ and ‘Mānasa’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural-inspired scholar scene: a poet-teacher recites while pointing to a manuscript with metrical marks, subdued temple-library interior, rhythmic border motifs.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting of Sarasvatī presiding over a manuscript labeled Śobhika, gold-highlighted akṣara-mātrā marks, rich decorative frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore instructional illustration: clear metrical grid with mātrā/gaṇa notation, the first dvipada bracketed and removed, headings Harer-bhadrāṣṭaka and Śobhika, neat calligraphy.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a literary salon: poet demonstrates a metre on a folio with red correction marks indicating lopa, attentive listeners, fine calligraphy and marginalia."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: harerbhadrāṣṭakaṃ → hareḥ bhadra-aṣṭakam; vedalopācca → veda-lopāt ca; raśmimānasamāyuktavedalopāt is treated as a multi-member tatpuruṣa compound.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 319 (sāhitya/chandas section contiguous verses)
FAQs
It gives a technical chandas-rule: a specific metre is identified by the elision (lopa) of an initial two-pāda unit, yielding the metrical form called Harer-bhadrāṣṭaka, also termed Śobhika, with further classification markers (Raśmi, Mānasa, and Veda-lopa).
Beyond theology and ritual, the Agni Purana catalogs literary science (sāhitya-śāstra), including precise metrical taxonomy. This verse exemplifies how the text preserves specialist terminology and classification rules from Sanskrit prosody.
Its value is primarily cultural-dharmic: mastering chandas supports correct composition and recitation of hymns and praise-poetry, which traditional thought treats as enhancing the efficacy and aesthetic purity of devotional and ritual speech.