Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 2
Nāṭaka-nirūpaṇam
Exposition of Drama / Dramatic Genres and Plot-Structure
व्यायोगभाणवीथ्यङ्कत्रोटकान्यथ नाटिका सट्टकं शिल्पकः कर्णा एको दुर्मल्लिका तथा
vyāyogabhāṇavīthyaṅkatroṭakānyatha nāṭikā saṭṭakaṃ śilpakaḥ karṇā eko durmallikā tathā
ထို့ပြင် ဒရာမာပုံစံများမှာ Vyāyoga၊ Bhāṇa၊ Vīthī၊ Aṅka၊ Troṭaka တို့ဖြစ်ပြီး၊ ထို့အတူ Nāṭikā၊ Saṭṭaka၊ Śilpaka၊ Karṇā၊ Eka နှင့် Durmallikā တို့လည်း ရှိသည်။
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Natya","secondary_vidya":"Alamkara","practical_application":"Extending the repertory list of dramatic forms for playwrights, directors, and scholars to classify and plan performances.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Additional dramatic forms (Vyāyoga to Durmallikā)","lookup_keywords":["vyāyoga","bhāṇa","vīthī","troṭaka","nāṭikā"],"quick_summary":"A further enumeration of dramatic types is given—vyāyoga, bhāṇa, vīthī, aṅka, troṭaka, nāṭikā, saṭṭaka, śilpaka, karṇā, eka, and durmallikā—supporting comprehensive genre taxonomy."}
Concept: Completeness through listing (saṅgraha) is a method of śāstric instruction.
Application: Serves as a syllabus index for drama studies and a checklist for cataloguing manuscripts/performances.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Natya and Rupa-ka classifications)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A scroll or board displays the names of dramatic forms; around it, small scenes show a monologist (bhāṇa), a heroic combat episode (vyāyoga), and a short one-act staging (aṅka).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: genre-name scroll in center, surrounding vignettes—single actor speaking (bhāṇa), warriors in stylized poses (vyāyoga), compact stage scene (aṅka), flat decorative foliage background","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: gold-embossed central plaque with the list, framed by miniature theatrical panels, rich jewel tones, ornate pillars and lamps","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: clean instructional composition, labeled mini-panels for each form, emphasis on abhinaya hand gestures and stage blocking","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: atelier-like page with calligraphed list and marginal illustrations of each genre, fine detailing of costumes and stage curtains"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vīthyaṅka = vīthī + aṅka; troṭakānyatha = troṭakāni + atha.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Adhyaya 337 (Nāṭaka-nirūpaṇa, genre list continues)
FAQs
It imparts sāhitya-śāstra (dramaturgical knowledge) by listing recognized rūpaka/ūparūpaka dramatic genres used in Sanskrit theatrical composition.
By cataloging technical categories of Sanskrit drama, the Agni Purana functions as a compendium extending beyond theology into arts, aesthetics, and formal literary theory.
While not a ritual injunction, it supports dharmic cultural transmission: preserving refined arts (nāṭya and kāvya) traditionally regarded as elevating, instructive, and conducive to sattvic cultivation.