Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 3
Chapter 344: Ornaments of Word-and-Meaning (शब्दार्थालङ्काराः)
प्रशस्तिः परवन्मर्मद्रवीकरणकर्मणः वाचो युक्तिर्द्विधा सा च प्रेमोक्तिस्तुतिभेदतः
praśastiḥ paravanmarmadravīkaraṇakarmaṇaḥ vāco yuktirdvidhā sā ca premoktistutibhedataḥ
ਪ੍ਰਸ਼ਸਤੀ ਉਹ ਵਾਕ੍-ਯੁਕਤੀ ਹੈ ਜਿਸ ਦਾ ਕੰਮ ਮਾਨੋ ਦੂਜੇ ਦੇ ਮਰਮ ਨੂੰ ਪਿਘਲਾ ਦੇਣਾ ਹੈ। ਉਹ ਵਾਕ੍-ਰੀਤਿ ਦੋ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਰ ਦੀ ਹੈ—ਪ੍ਰੇਮੋਕਤੀ ਅਤੇ ਸਤੁਤੀ—ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਭੇਦਾਂ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ।
Lord Agni (teaching poetics to the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Defines praśasti as persuasive speech that ‘melts’ the listener’s heart and classifies it into premokti and stuti; useful for composing effective praise, diplomacy, and devotional eulogy.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Praśasti: premokti and stuti (two modes of eulogistic speech)","lookup_keywords":["praśasti","premokti","stuti","vāk-yukti","marmadrāvīkaraṇa"],"quick_summary":"Explains praśasti as speech designed to soften and win over another’s inner core, and divides it into affectionate address and formal praise. Practical for tailoring tone to relationship and context."}
Concept: Ethics of speech: praise is not mere ornament but a deliberate act affecting another’s inner disposition; tone must match intent—affectionate intimacy or formal honor.
Application: Choose premokti for closeness (friend, beloved, devotee-to-deity in intimate bhakti); choose stuti for public/ritual/court contexts; avoid mismatch that breaks aucitya.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Kavya-śāstra / Alaṅkāra-śāstra: poetics and rhetoric)
Primary Rasa: shringara
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Two contrasting scenes: (1) premokti—an intimate, gentle praise spoken close to the listener; (2) stuti—a formal public encomium with assembled audience and garlands.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural diptych: left panel soft intimate dialogue with tender gestures, right panel formal praise in a hall with garlands and lamps, bold outlines, warm palette, Sanskrit labels premokti/stuti.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central figure receiving praise with gold-leaf halo, left side affectionate whisper scene, right side ceremonial stuti with gold ornaments and arch framing, rich reds and gold.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear didactic split composition, fine linework showing two modes of praise, subtle facial expressions emphasizing ‘marmadrāvīkaraṇa’, labeled panels.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, court setting: poet recites formal stuti before a patron; inset shows private premokti exchange, intricate textiles and architecture, calligraphed captions."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bageshri","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: yuktiḥ + dvidhā → yuktir dvidhā; prema-uktiḥ + stuti- → premoktistuti- (vowel sandhi: a+u→o); bheda + tataḥ → bhedataḥ (tasil).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 344.2 (praśasti as one of six compositional excellences); Agni Purana 344 (śabdārthālaṅkāra and related rhetorical modes)
FAQs
It imparts kāvya-śāstra (poetics) knowledge: defining praśasti (eulogy) as speech meant to soften another’s heart, and classifying it into premokti (affectionate expression) and stuti (formal praise).
Beyond mythology and ritual, the Agni Purana systematizes literary theory; this verse shows it functioning like a handbook of Sanskrit rhetoric by defining a device and giving its internal taxonomy.
It frames praise as ethically effective speech—words that soften hostility and cultivate harmony—supporting dharmic conduct through refined, non-harming communication.