Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 29
Discrimination of the Qualities of Poetry (Kāvya-guṇa-viveka) — Closing Verse/Colophon Transition
विभक्तिसंज्ञालिङ्गानां यत्रोद्वेगो न धीमतां संख्यायास्तत्र भिन्नत्वमुपमानोपमेययोः
vibhaktisaṃjñāliṅgānāṃ yatrodvego na dhīmatāṃ saṃkhyāyāstatra bhinnatvamupamānopameyayoḥ
Onde os sábios não sentem dificuldade quanto a vibhakti (desinências de caso), saṃjñā (designação técnica) e liṅga (género gramatical), aí—por causa de saṃkhyā (número)—o upamāna (termo padrão da comparação) e o upameya (o comparado) devem ser entendidos como distintos, sem identidade gramatical necessária.
Lord Agni (instructional narration within the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"When crafting similes, ensure grammatical agreement is not forced: even if vibhakti/saṃjñā/liṅga pose no issue, number (singular/plural) can require treating upamāna and upameya as distinct entities.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Upamā: Distinction of Upamāna–Upameya due to Saṃkhyā (Number)","lookup_keywords":["upamāna","upameya","saṃkhyā","liṅga","vibhakti"],"quick_summary":"In simile-construction, do not assume full grammatical identity between compared terms; differences in number can mandate conceptual distinctness even when other grammatical markers are smooth."}
Alamkara Type: Upama
Concept: Poetic comparison requires viveka: similarity is asserted without collapsing distinct referents; grammar (especially number) signals that distinction.
Application: In kāvya analysis, separate semantic identity from grammatical agreement; use number as a diagnostic for whether the comparison is collective, distributive, or merely analogical.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Vyakarana & Alankara: simile/poetics and grammatical usage)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A teacher illustrates a simile on a board: one moon compared to many faces; students note that number differs, so the compared terms remain distinct despite smooth case/gender usage.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, guru teaching with stylized moon and multiple faces as icons, students seated, script panels showing singular vs plural markers, earthy palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-highlighted moon motif and multiple lotus-face motifs, teacher pointing to grammatical markers, ornate border and jewel tones","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean didactic diagram: upamāna (singular) vs upameya (plural) labeled, subtle decorative flourishes","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature classroom, illuminated folio with a simile example, teacher and pupils, fine calligraphy indicating ekavacana/bahuvacana"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यत्र + उद्वेगः → यत्रोद्वेगः; संख्यायाः + तत्र → संख्यायास्तत्र; भिन्नत्वम् + उपमानोपमेययोः → भिन्नत्वमुपमानोपमेययोः; उपमान + उपमेययोः → उपमानोपमेययोः (द्वन्द्व)
Related Themes: Agni Purana 346 (upamā and śabda/artha-doṣa discussions)
FAQs
It teaches a technical rule in Sanskrit poetics/grammar: when constructing or analyzing a simile (upamā), the upamāna and upameya may differ specifically in number (singular/dual/plural), even if other grammatical features do not cause interpretive difficulty.
Beyond mythology and worship, the Agni Purana systematizes scholarly disciplines like vyākaraṇa (grammar) and alaṅkāra-śāstra (poetics). This verse exemplifies that encyclopedic scope by codifying how similes are grammatically and rhetorically analyzed.
Indirectly, it supports dharma through correct learning and transmission of śāstra: precise understanding of language and meaning safeguards faithful recitation, teaching, and interpretation of sacred and literary texts.