Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 27
Chapter 342: शब्दालङ्काराः
Verbal/Sound-based Ornaments
तदङ्गविहिताकाङ्क्षस्तद्गुप्तं गूढमप्यदः यत्रार्थान्तरनिर्भासो वाक्याङ्गच्यवनादिभिः
tadaṅgavihitākāṅkṣastadguptaṃ gūḍhamapyadaḥ yatrārthāntaranirbhāso vākyāṅgacyavanādibhiḥ
வாக்கியத்தின் ஒரு அங்கத்தால் எதிர்பார்ப்பு (ஆகாங்க்ஷா) எழுந்தாலும் நோக்கமுடைய பொருள் மறைந்தே இருப்பது ‘கூடம்’ எனப்படுகிறது. இதில் வாக்கிய அங்கங்களின் இடமாற்றம்/விடுபாடு போன்ற அமைப்புமாற்றங்களால் வேறொரு பொருளின் தோற்றம் (அர்த்தாந்தர-நிர்பாச) உண்டாகிறது.
Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Diagnosing and crafting gūḍha (hidden/oblique) expression via syntactic displacement/omission that triggers expectation yet keeps intended sense concealed.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Gūḍha-vākya: ākāṅkṣā and arthāntara-nirbhāsa by vākya-aṅga-cyavana","lookup_keywords":["gūḍha","ākāṅkṣā","arthāntara-nirbhāsa","vākya-aṅga-cyavana","vakrokti"],"quick_summary":"An expression is gūḍha when sentence-structure creates expectation but the intended meaning remains hidden; a different meaning appears due to shifts like displacement/omission of sentence-members."}
Alamkara Type: Vakrokti/Gūḍha (obliqueness via syntactic deviation)
Concept: Meaning is shaped by syntactic expectancy; rearrangement/omission can generate an alternate apparent meaning while hiding the intended one.
Application: In composition: deliberately reorder or omit sentence-members to create controlled ambiguity; in criticism: identify where structural shifts cause arthāntara-nirbhāsa.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Kavya/Alankara and Vakrokti—poetic suggestion and sentence-structure)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: hasya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A poet rearranges sentence tiles on a board; the audience sees a misleading surface meaning while the intended meaning remains hidden behind the syntactic displacement.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, teacher-poet before a wooden board with movable word-panels, one panel displaced, listeners showing wonder, bold outlines, traditional palette, emphasis on the ‘shifted’ vākya-aṅga","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gilded frame, poet in court holding a board of word-panels, one panel removed/shifted, audience reacting to a sudden alternate meaning, gold accents on manuscript and ornaments","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic scene with labeled word-panels (vākya-aṅga), arrows showing cyavana (displacement), calm scholarly setting, fine linework","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, literary salon with a scribe rearranging a couplet strip, subtle humor and surprise on faces, intricate textiles and calligraphy"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तदङ्गविहिताकाङ्क्षस् = तत्-अङ्ग-विहित-आकाङ्क्षः; तद्गुप्तं = तत्-गुप्तम्; गूढमप्यदः = गूढम् अपि अदः; यत्रार्थान्तरनिर्भासो = यत्र अर्थ-अन्तर-निर्भासः; वाक्याङ्गच्यवनादिभिः = वाक्य-अङ्ग-च्यवन-आदिभिः
Related Themes: Agni Purana 342.26 (śābdī prahelikā); Agni Purana 342.29-30 (datta/cyuta-datta as related meaning-shifts)
FAQs
It imparts kavya-vidya: how “gūḍha” (hidden/oblique expression) is formed when sentence-constituents create expectancy yet conceal the intended meaning, producing an apparent alternate sense through structural shifts like vākyāṅga-cyavana.
By codifying a precise concept from Sanskrit literary theory (semantics and sentence-structure in poetry), it shows the Agni Purana’s scope beyond ritual—preserving technical shastra on rhetoric and interpretation alongside other sciences.
While not a ritual injunction, it refines right understanding (viveka) of sacred and poetic language—supporting accurate interpretation of dharmic texts and cultivating disciplined speech and comprehension, traditionally regarded as purifying intellectual conduct.