Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 33
Adhyāya 361 — अव्ययवर्गः
Avyaya-vargaḥ) — The Section on Indeclinables (Colophon/Closure
दुरोदरो द्यूतकारे पणे द्यूते दुरोदरं महारण्ये दुर्गपथे कान्तारः पुन्नपुंसकं
durodaro dyūtakāre paṇe dyūte durodaraṃ mahāraṇye durgapathe kāntāraḥ punnapuṃsakaṃ
“Durodara” usa-se para o jogador, para a aposta e para o jogo de azar. No sentido de “grande floresta” e “caminho difícil”, emprega-se a palavra “kāntāra”; ela é de género masculino e também neutro.
Lord Agni (instructing Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic lexical/śāstra section)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Alamkara","practical_application":"Clarifying legal-moral vocabulary around gambling (gambler, wager, game) and correct grammatical gender/usage of kāntāra in administrative and literary texts.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Terms of Gambling and Wilderness: durodara; kāntāra (gender)","lookup_keywords":["durodara gambler","pana wager","dyuta gambling","kāntāra forest","puṃnapuṃsaka"],"quick_summary":"Defines durodara across gambling contexts (person, stake, act) and notes kāntāra meaning great forest/difficult path with masculine or neuter gender—useful for dharma and narrative description."}
Concept: Dyūta is a socially destabilizing practice; precise naming supports regulation and adjudication; grammar (gender) supports textual correctness.
Application: In governance and contracts, specify stake (paṇa) and act (dyūta) distinctly; in writing, use kāntāra with correct gender per context.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Lexicography / Synonyms and Gender in Sanskrit Usage)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Type: Forest
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A cautionary scene: a gambler (durodara) at dice with a pile of wagers (paṇa), contrasted with travelers entering a dense forest pass (kāntāra) marked as a difficult route.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, split composition: left—dice game with tense faces and stacked coins; right—stylized dark forest path with tall trees and a narrow pass; strong outlines, earthy tones","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, ornate gambling vignette with gold-highlighted coins and dice, and a second vignette of travelers at a forest gate; gold work on ornaments and wager pile","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional contrast: labeled durodara/paṇa/dyūta and kāntāra (puṃ/napuṃ), fine linework, calm palette, clear didactic layout","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed indoor gambling scene with carpets and dice, and an outdoor forest pass with travelers and guards; naturalistic foliage and expressive faces"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: महारण्ये = महा + अरण्ये; दुर्गपथे = दुर्ग + पथे. Verse is largely lexicographic: terms mapped to contexts (locatives).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma/Vyavahāra discussions of vices and disputes; Agni Purana lexical lists on gender and usage
FAQs
This verse imparts lexical-technical knowledge: correct semantic ranges and grammatical gender-usage of key terms—‘durodara’ (gambler/wager/gambling) and ‘kāntāra’ (wilderness/difficult passage), including that ‘kāntāra’ occurs in both masculine and neuter.
By cataloging precise word-senses and genders like a nighaṇṭu (lexicon), the Agni Purana preserves practical Sanskrit usage alongside ritual, law, medicine, and polity—showing its role as a reference compendium for correct terminology across disciplines.
Indirectly, it supports dharma by enabling accurate recitation, interpretation, and transmission of śāstra: correct words and meanings reduce error in study, teaching, and ritual speech (śabda-śuddhi), which traditional frameworks treat as supportive of merit.