Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 30
Chapter 360 — अव्ययवर्गाः
Groups of Indeclinables
निःषमं दुःषमं गर्ह्ये यथास्वन्तु यथायथं मृषा मिथ्या च वितथे यथार्थन्तु यथातथं
niḥṣamaṃ duḥṣamaṃ garhye yathāsvantu yathāyathaṃ mṛṣā mithyā ca vitathe yathārthantu yathātathaṃ
ਨਿੰਦਣਯੋਗ ਪ੍ਰਯੋਗ ਵਿੱਚ ‘ਨਿਃਸ਼ਮਮ੍’ ਅਤੇ ‘ਦੁಃਸ਼ਮਮ੍’ ਕਿਹਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ; ਅਤੇ ‘ਯਥਾਸ੍ਵਮ੍’ ਤੇ ‘ਯਥਾਯਥਮ੍’ ਵੀ। ਜੋ ਝੂਠ/ਵਿਤਥ ਹੋਵੇ, ਉਸ ਲਈ ‘ਮ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਾ’, ‘ਮਿਥ੍ਯਾ’ ਅਤੇ ‘ਵਿਤਥ’ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਹਨ; ਪਰ ਜੋ ਯਥਾਰਥ ਹੋਵੇ, ਉਸ ਲਈ ‘ਯਥਾਰਥਮ੍’, ਅਰਥਾਤ ‘ਯਥਾ-ਤਥਾ’ ਕਿਹਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।
Lord Agni (teaching to sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Lexical discrimination in composition and commentary: choosing precise synonyms for censurable usage, falsity, and truth; improving semantic accuracy in kāvya and śāstra.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Śabda-bheda: terms for censurable usage, falsity, and truth","lookup_keywords":["niḥṣama","duḥṣama","mṛṣā","mithyā","yathārtha"],"quick_summary":"For blameworthy/censurable expression use niḥṣama/duḥṣama and related ‘as-heard/as-in-whatever-way’ qualifiers; for falsity use mṛṣā/mithyā/vitatha; for truth use yathārtha (yathā-tathā)."}
Concept: Truth-conditions in language: differentiate blameworthy imprecision, falsity, and accurate correspondence (yathārtha).
Application: In exegesis, label statements as vitatha/mithyā when they fail correspondence; reserve yathārtha for accurate description; use niḥṣama/duḥṣama to critique disproportionate or improper expression.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Kavya/Alankara and Lexical-Technical Definitions)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A lexicographer-poet annotates a manuscript: columns labeled ‘gārhya’ (censurable), ‘vitatha’ (false), ‘yathārtha’ (true), with example phrases being corrected.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, scholar with palm-leaf manuscript, three-panel layout showing ‘false’ words darkened and ‘yathārtha’ highlighted, stylized script motifs, temple-school ambience.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-bordered manuscript pages with headings mṛṣā/mithyā/vitatha and yathārtha, seated poet-scribe, ornate desk, luminous gold accents for ‘truth’.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic chart-like composition, neat calligraphy, scholar pointing to synonym sets, subdued colors for clarity and instruction.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, atelier scene with calligrapher and proofreader, marginal glosses marking ‘mithyā’ vs ‘yathārtha’, fine detailing of paper, inkpots, and pens."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: yathāsvantu = yathā + svam + tu; yathāyathaṃ = yathā + yatham; yathārthantu = yathārtham + tu; yathātathaṃ = yathā + tatham.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 360 (lexical-technical definitions in sāhitya section)
FAQs
It imparts semantic/lexical discrimination used in śāstra and kāvya: how Sanskrit classifies blameworthy or defective expression (niḥṣama, duḥṣama) versus false statements (mṛṣā, mithyā, vitatha) and truthful, reality-corresponding expression (yathārtha, yathātatha).
Beyond ritual and dharma, the Agni Purana preserves compact technical lists from linguistic and poetic disciplines—here, a mini-glossary for evaluating correctness, falsity, and factual correspondence—showing its coverage of Sanskrit knowledge-systems alongside religious instruction.
By distinguishing truthful speech (yathārtha) from falsehood (mṛṣā/mithyā/vitatha) and censurable usage, it supports dharmic conduct through right speech (satya) and avoidance of misleading or blameworthy expression, which is traditionally linked to purity of mind and merit.