Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 45
वागीश्वरीपूजा
The Worship of Vāgīśvarī
ऊर्ध्वं द्विपदिकं लोप्य हरेर्भद्राष्टकं स्मृतम् रश्मिमानसमायुक्तवेदलोपाच्च शोभिकम्
ūrdhvaṃ dvipadikaṃ lopya harerbhadrāṣṭakaṃ smṛtam raśmimānasamāyuktavedalopācca śobhikam
Kapag inalis ang pang-itaas (paunang) yunit na dalawang talampakan, ang metro ay tinatawag na ‘Harer-bhadrāṣṭaka’. Tinatawag din itong ‘Śobhika’ sapagkat kaugnay ito ng mga padron na Raśmi at Mānasa, at dahil sa pag-aalis ng bahaging tinatawag na Veda.
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purana’s didactic narration)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Natya","practical_application":"Identifying and composing a specific metrical form (Harer-bhadrāṣṭaka/Śobhika) by applying prescribed elisions and pattern-associations, useful for hymnody, eulogy, and staged recitation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Harer-bhadrāṣṭaka (Śobhika) Chandas by Dvipada-lopa","lookup_keywords":["Harer-bhadrāṣṭaka","Śobhika chandas","dvipada-lopa","Raśmi","Mānasa"],"quick_summary":"Defines a named metre produced by eliding the initial two-foot unit and characterized by associations called Raśmi and Mānasa, also termed Śobhika due to its pleasing structure."}
Concept: Beauty (śobhā) in sacred/literary speech is rule-governed; controlled omission can generate recognized metrical identities.
Application: Compose stotras or narrative verses in the defined chandas by applying the stated lopa and maintaining the recognized pattern families.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Chandas/Prosody and metrical-lakshana)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A palm-leaf manuscript page showing a metrical schema: an initial dvipada unit crossed out (lopa), the remaining pattern labeled Harer-bhadrāṣṭaka/Śobhika, with side notes ‘Raśmi’ and ‘Mānasa’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural-inspired scholar scene: a poet-teacher recites while pointing to a manuscript with metrical marks, subdued temple-library interior, rhythmic border motifs.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting of Sarasvatī presiding over a manuscript labeled Śobhika, gold-highlighted akṣara-mātrā marks, rich decorative frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore instructional illustration: clear metrical grid with mātrā/gaṇa notation, the first dvipada bracketed and removed, headings Harer-bhadrāṣṭaka and Śobhika, neat calligraphy.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a literary salon: poet demonstrates a metre on a folio with red correction marks indicating lopa, attentive listeners, fine calligraphy and marginalia."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: harerbhadrāṣṭakaṃ → hareḥ bhadra-aṣṭakam; vedalopācca → veda-lopāt ca; raśmimānasamāyuktavedalopāt is treated as a multi-member tatpuruṣa compound.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 319 (sāhitya/chandas section contiguous verses)
FAQs
It gives a technical chandas-rule: a specific metre is identified by the elision (lopa) of an initial two-pāda unit, yielding the metrical form called Harer-bhadrāṣṭaka, also termed Śobhika, with further classification markers (Raśmi, Mānasa, and Veda-lopa).
Beyond theology and ritual, the Agni Purana catalogs literary science (sāhitya-śāstra), including precise metrical taxonomy. This verse exemplifies how the text preserves specialist terminology and classification rules from Sanskrit prosody.
Its value is primarily cultural-dharmic: mastering chandas supports correct composition and recitation of hymns and praise-poetry, which traditional thought treats as enhancing the efficacy and aesthetic purity of devotional and ritual speech.