Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 6
Arthālaṅkāras (Ornaments of Meaning): Definitions, Taxonomy, and the Centrality of Upamā
उपमा नाम सा यस्यामुपमानोपमेययोः सत्ता चान्तरसामान्ययोगित्वेपि विवक्षितं
upamā nāma sā yasyāmupamānopameyayoḥ sattā cāntarasāmānyayogitvepi vivakṣitaṃ
Упама (upamā, сравнение) — это троп, в котором, относительно upamāna (эталона сравнения) и upameya (сравниваемого), подразумевается их взаимная связь, а именно наличие внутреннего общего признака (разделяемого свойства), хотя такая общность вообще может быть возможной между ними.
Lord Agni (traditional narrator of the Agni Purana, instructing Vashistha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Define and identify Upamā (simile) in poetry and refined prose by checking upamāna–upameya linkage through an intended shared attribute (sādhāraṇa-dharma).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Upamā-lakṣaṇa (Definition of Simile)","lookup_keywords":["upamā","upamāna","upameya","sādhāraṇa-dharma","alaṅkāra-lakṣaṇa"],"quick_summary":"A simile arises when the poet intends a relation between upamāna and upameya grounded in an internal shared property, whether or not such similarity could exist generally."}
Alamkara Type: Upamā
Concept: Intended meaning (vivakṣā) governs poetic cognition: similarity is not mere possibility but a willed semantic relation via a common property.
Application: When composing or interpreting, verify (1) upameya, (2) upamāna, (3) intended shared dharma; avoid forced comparisons lacking vivakṣita-sāmānya.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Alankara-shastra / Sanskrit Poetics)
Primary Rasa: Adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: Shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A learned ācārya points to two objects—one the upameya and one the upamāna—while highlighting a glowing shared attribute (dharma) connecting them, like a thread of meaning.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, scholar-teacher seated with palm-leaf manuscript, two symbolic objects on either side labeled upameya and upamāna, a luminous band showing sādhāraṇa-dharma, earthy reds and greens, flat iconic composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ornate frame with gold leaf, central seated guru holding manuscript, two medallions showing upameya and upamāna, gold-highlighted connecting motif representing shared dharma, rich jewel tones.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, clean linework and soft shading, instructional tableau with labels for upamāna/upameya, subtle halo-like connector for common attribute, calm scholarly setting.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly scholar in a library, delicate calligraphy margins, two illustrated objects with a fine line linking them, emphasis on analytical gesture and textual annotation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Raga Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यस्याम् + उपमानोपमेययोः → यस्याम् उपमानोपमेययोः; उपमानोपमेययोः resolved as उपमान-उपमेययोः (समाहार-द्वन्द्व, षष्ठी द्विवचन). च + अन्तर... → च अन्तर...; योगित्वे + अपि → योगित्वेऽपि.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 343.7-343.10 (classification and markers of upamā); Agni Purana Sahitya-shastra sections on alaṅkāra-lakṣaṇa and doṣa/guṇa (nearby chapters)
FAQs
It imparts kavya-shastra (poetics) knowledge: the technical definition (lakṣaṇa) of upamā—how a simile functions through an intended shared attribute linking upamāna and upameya.
Alongside rituals, polity, and other sciences, the Agni Purana also systematizes literary theory; this verse is part of its formal treatment of alaṅkāras, showing the text’s coverage of Sanskrit aesthetics and rhetoric.
Indirectly, it refines sacred communication: mastering precise poetic expression supports clearer transmission of dharma and devotion in hymns, praises, and didactic narration, enhancing the efficacy of religious discourse.