Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 16
Explanation of Abhinaya and Related Topics (अभिनयादिनिरूपणम्) — Agni Purana, Chapter 341
उद्वेजनः क्षोभणश् च वीभत्सो द्विविधः स्मृतः उद्वेजनः स्यात् प्लुत्याद्यैः क्षोभणो रुधिरादिभिः
udvejanaḥ kṣobhaṇaś ca vībhatso dvividhaḥ smṛtaḥ udvejanaḥ syāt plutyādyaiḥ kṣobhaṇo rudhirādibhiḥ
वीभत्सो द्विविधः—उद्वेजनः क्षोभणश्च; उद्वेजनः प्लुत्याद्यैः, क्षोभणो रुधिरादिभिः जायते।
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Natya","practical_application":"Stagecraft and writing: differentiate two modes of vībhatsa (disgust)—udvejana from alarming cries/sounds, and kṣobhaṇa from repulsive visuals like blood; guides prop/sound design and actor reaction.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Vībhatsa-bheda: Udvejana and Kṣobhaṇa","lookup_keywords":["vībhatsa","udvejana","kṣobhaṇa","plutya","rudhira"],"quick_summary":"Disgust is twofold: sound-triggered revulsion (udvejana) from frightful cries etc., and sight/substance-triggered nausea (kṣobhaṇa) from blood and similar repulsive matter."}
Concept: Aesthetic psychology: the same rasa can be generated through different sensory determinants; classification refines artistic control.
Application: When composing/producing, decide whether disgust should be evoked primarily through sound (cries, wails) or through visuals/substances (blood, decay), and calibrate intensity accordingly.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Kavya–Natya: Rasa-Nirupana)
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Two juxtaposed theatrical moments: one where piercing cries cause recoil, and another where blood and wounds cause nausea—actors display aversion and trembling.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural split-panel: left with exaggerated open mouths and sound waves indicating cries, right with stylized blood-red motifs; strong expressions of disgust, traditional costume.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting diptych with gold borders: left scene emphasizes dramatic vocalization, right scene shows stylized battlefield gore; gold highlights on costumes, deep red accents for rudhira.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style instructional illustration: labeled ‘udvejana’ (sound cues) and ‘kṣobhaṇa’ (visual cues), with refined facial abhinaya showing recoil, nausea, covering nose/mouth.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, court theatre performance: musicians and actors; one scene with shrieking messenger, another with wounded soldier; detailed audience reactions of aversion."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: क्षोभणश् च → क्षोभणः च; प्लुत्याद्यैः → प्लुति-आद्यैः; रुधिरादिभिः → रुधिर-आदिभिः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: adjacent rasa definitions (bhayānaka, vīra, etc.); Agni Purana: sections on bhāva/anubhāva in nāṭya context
FAQs
It imparts technical kavya–natya knowledge: Vībhatsa-rasa (disgust) is classified into two operative modes—udvejana (evoked by alarming cries, etc.) and kṣobhaṇa (evoked by blood and similarly repulsive sights/substances).
Beyond ritual and dharma, the Agni Purana preserves systematic literary aesthetics (rasa classification and triggers), showing it functions as a compendium that also codifies Sanskrit poetics and dramaturgy.
By mapping how repulsion is aesthetically generated and regulated, it supports disciplined emotional cultivation (rasa-niyama) in art—channeling disturbing themes into reflective, controlled experience rather than impulsive aversion.