Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 1
Chapter 344: Ornaments of Word-and-Meaning (शब्दार्थालङ्काराः)
इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे अलङ्कारे अर्थालङ्कारनिरूपणं नाम त्रिचत्वारिंशदधिकत्रिशततमो ऽध्यायः अथ चतुश् चत्वारिंशदधिकत्रिशततमो ऽध्यायः शब्दार्थालङ्काराः अग्निर् उवाच शब्दार्थयोरलङ्कारो द्वावलङ्कुरुते समं एकत्र निहितो हारः स्तनं ग्रीवामिव स्त्रियाः
ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe alaṅkāre arthālaṅkāranirūpaṇaṃ nāma tricatvāriṃśadadhikatriśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ atha catuś catvāriṃśadadhikatriśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ śabdārthālaṅkārāḥ agnir uvāca śabdārthayoralaṅkāro dvāvalaṅkurute samaṃ ekatra nihito hāraḥ stanaṃ grīvāmiva striyāḥ
इत्याग्नेये महापुराणे अलङ्कारे अर्थालङ्कारनिरूपणं नाम त्रिचत्वारिंशदधिकत्रिशततमोऽध्यायः। अथ चतुश्चत्वारिंशदधिकत्रिशततमोऽध्यायः—शब्दार्थालङ्काराः। अग्निरुवाच—शब्दार्थयोरलङ्कारो द्वावलङ्कुरुते समम्; एकत्र निहितो हारः स्तनं ग्रीवामिव स्त्रियाः।
Lord Agni
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Introduces the chapter on śabdārthālaṅkāra (ornaments of both word and meaning) and gives a defining analogy; guides poets to craft figures that simultaneously beautify expression and sense.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Śabdārthālaṅkāra (ornament of word-and-meaning) — chapter opening definition","lookup_keywords":["śabdārthālaṅkāra","alaṅkāra","kāvya-śāstra","hāra-dṛṣṭānta","Agni Purana 344"],"quick_summary":"Defines the mixed ornament as one that adorns both diction and meaning equally, illustrated by a single necklace beautifying both neck and breasts. Sets the scope for classifying such figures in composition."}
Alamkara Type: Upamā (analogy)
Concept: Aesthetic theory: some ornaments are inseparable unions of śabda (sound/wording) and artha (sense), producing beauty in both simultaneously.
Application: In composing verse, test whether the beauty survives paraphrase: if it collapses when wording changes, it is word-based; if it survives, meaning-based; if both are essential, it is śabdārthālaṅkāra.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Alankara-shastra / Kavya-vidya)
Primary Rasa: shringara
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Agni as teacher begins a poetics lesson; beside him an elegant woman wearing a single necklace that visually adorns both neck and chest, illustrating the mixed ornament.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, Agni-deva seated as guru with palm-leaf manuscript, to the side a graceful woman in traditional attire with a prominent hāra, warm reds/ochres, stylized jewelry, didactic composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Agni with radiant aura and gold-leaf flames, ornate jewelry rendered with heavy gold work; the necklace gleams, emphasizing ‘one ornament adorning two’, rich maroons and greens.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, refined linework, classroom-like scene: Agni instructing, a simple illustrative figure of a woman with necklace, labels ‘śabda’ and ‘artha’ near neck and chest, soft pastel palette.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, literary salon with Agni as sage-like instructor, a lady in courtly dress with jeweled necklace, delicate detailing of textiles and ornaments, a calligraphed caption ‘śabdārthālaṅkāra’."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Khamaj","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ity + āgneye → ity āgneye; adhyāyaḥ (aḥ) + atha → '... ' (pāda break); agniḥ + uvāca → agnir uvāca; śabdārthayoḥ + alaṅkāraḥ → śabdārthayor alaṅkāraḥ; dvau + alaṅkurute → dvā alaṅkurute (vowel sandhi); grīvām + iva → grīvāmiva.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 343 (Arthālaṅkāra-nirūpaṇa conclusion); Agni Purana 344 (Śabdārthālaṅkāra section to follow)
FAQs
It introduces kavya-śāstra terminology: a śabdārthālaṅkāra is a figure of speech that beautifies both the wording (śabda) and the meaning (artha) simultaneously.
Beyond theology and ritual, the Agni Purana systematically teaches Sanskrit literary theory (alaṅkāra-śāstra), showing its scope as a compendium that includes aesthetics, rhetoric, and technical definitions used in classical poetry.
While not a ritual injunction, it frames refined speech and meaningful expression as a valued discipline; cultivating śabda and artha together supports dhārmic learning by making sacred and ethical teachings clearer, memorable, and persuasive.