Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 27
Discrimination of the Qualities of Poetry (Kāvya-guṇa-viveka) — Closing Verse/Colophon Transition
प्रगृह्ये गृह्यते नैव क्षतं विगतसन्धिना कष्टपाठाद्विसन्धित्वं दुर्वचादौ न दुर्भगम्
pragṛhye gṛhyate naiva kṣataṃ vigatasandhinā kaṣṭapāṭhādvisandhitvaṃ durvacādau na durbhagam
ప్రగృహ్య విషయంలో సంధి చేయరాదు; ‘క్షత’ (విచ్ఛిన్న) పదరూపం సంధి లేకుండానే నిలుస్తుంది. కష్టపాఠం వల్ల ద్వి-సంధిత్వం కలగవచ్చు; దుర్వచాది పదాలతో ప్రారంభమయ్యే ప్రయోగాల్లో ఇది అరుదు కాదు.
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in encyclopedic topics, here grammar/phonetics)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vyakarana","secondary_vidya":"Alamkara","practical_application":"Correct recitation and writing by applying pragṛhya and sandhi exceptions; recognizing kṣata (broken forms) and avoiding erroneous double-sandhi caused by difficult pronunciation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Pragṛhya and Sandhi Exceptions; Dvi-sandhi from Kaṣṭa-pāṭha","lookup_keywords":["pragṛhya","sandhi-niṣedha","kṣata","dvi-sandhi","kaṣṭa-pāṭha"],"quick_summary":"Pragṛhya vowels are not merged by sandhi; broken forms remain without sandhi. Difficult recitation can induce double sandhi, especially near hard-to-pronounce sequences."}
Concept: Sound-rules preserve meaning; exceptions (pragṛhya) are integral to correctness, and performance conditions can create variants.
Application: In Vedic/śāstric chanting and kāvya reading, maintain pragṛhya as separate; audit double-sandhi as a pāṭha artifact rather than authorial intent.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Vyakarana & Chandas: Sandhi/Pronunciation rules)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A recitation hall where a teacher demonstrates keeping a pragṛhya vowel uncombined; a student mistakenly applies sandhi twice, and the teacher corrects the articulation with hand gestures.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, chanting students in rows, teacher with raised hand indicating ‘no sandhi’ at a highlighted vowel, stylized palm-leaf text, rhythmic decorative borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, gold accents on veena-like sound motifs, teacher and disciple with palm-leaf, a highlighted pragṛhya syllable shown as separated, ornate frame","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear instructional diagram of sandhi vs pragṛhya, teacher pointing to syllable blocks, calm classroom palette","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, madrasa-like interior, calligraphed Sanskrit on folio, teacher correcting a student’s double-joined word, fine detail on lips/hand mudras for pronunciation"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: न + एव → नैव; विगत + सन्धिना → विगतसन्धिना; कष्टपाठात् + द्विसन्धित्वम् → कष्टपाठाद्विसन्धित्वम्; दुर्वच + आदौ → दुर्वचादौ
Related Themes: Agni Purana 346 (sandhi, doṣa-guṇa discussion in Sāhitya-śāstra)
FAQs
It teaches a technical rule of Sanskrit phonetics/grammar: pragṛhya forms are exempt from sandhi assimilation, and it notes how double sandhi can arise in practice from difficult recitation.
By preserving practical vyākaraṇa and recitation guidance (sandhi exceptions and oral-reading realities), it shows the Agni Purana functioning not only as mythic scripture but also as a handbook for linguistic and scholastic disciplines.
Correct recitation and accurate phonetic joining/avoidance of sandhi are traditionally linked to preserving mantra meaning and efficacy; the verse supports purity and precision in sacred reading and transmission.