Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 4
Chapter 336 — काव्यादिलक्षणम्
Definitions of Poetry and Related Arts
कवित्वं दुर्लभं तत्र शक्तिस्तत्र च दुर्लभा व्युत्पातिर्दुर्लभा तत्र विवेकस्तत्र दुर्लभः
kavitvaṃ durlabhaṃ tatra śaktistatra ca durlabhā vyutpātirdurlabhā tatra vivekastatra durlabhaḥ
Doon, bihira ang henyo sa pagtula (kavitva); bihira rin ang lakas ng pagpapahayag (śakti). Bihira ang masusing pagkatuto at kahusayan (vyutpatti); at bihira rin ang malinaw na paghatol at paghiwalay ng tama at mali (viveka).
Lord Agni (in instruction to Sage Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purana’s didactic discourse on śāstra)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Assess and cultivate the four requisites of literary excellence—kavitva, śakti, vyutpatti, and viveka—through practice, study, and critical review.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Four rare requisites of poetic excellence","lookup_keywords":["kavitva","śakti","vyutpatti","viveka","sāhitya-sādhana"],"quick_summary":"The verse lists four scarce attainments behind great poetry: genius, expressive power, learned mastery, and discriminating judgment—implying a training path combining talent, practice, and critique."}
Concept: Excellence is multi-factor and rare; cultivate both capacity (śakti) and discernment (viveka) alongside learning (vyutpatti).
Application: Create a regimen: daily composition (kavitva), rhetorical drills (śakti), śāstra reading with examples (vyutpatti), and peer/teacher critique (viveka).
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Kavya, Alankara, and Poetics)
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Four-panel allegory: a poet receiving inspiration (kavitva), a tongue/veena symbolizing śakti, a scholar with many śāstras for vyutpatti, and a judge with scales for viveka.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, four vignettes in one frame with ornate floral borders: inspired poet, veena and speech motif, scholar with palm-leaf stacks, discerning judge with scales; muted reds/ochres; calm didactic tone","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, gold-leaf emphasis on four emblems (quill/lotus for genius, veena for śakti, grantha stack for vyutpatti, scales for viveka), central poet figure, rich jewel tones","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional diagram-like composition with labeled Sanskrit terms ‘kavitva/śakti/vyutpatti/viveka’, delicate faces, soft background, classroom ambience","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, atelier scene: poet composing, musician tuning veena, scholar consulting books, patron-critic evaluating; intricate textiles and architectural interior"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शक्तिस्तत्र = शक्तिः + तत्र; व्युत्पातिर्दुर्लभा = व्युत्पातिः + दुर्लभा; विवेकस्तत्र = विवेकः + तत्र.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 336 (kāvya-lakṣaṇa; guṇa-doṣa; alaṅkāra)
FAQs
This verse imparts Sahitya-vidya (kavya-śāstra) by listing the core technical prerequisites for poetry: kavitva (poetic genius), śakti (expressive power), vyutpatti (scholarly training in language and śāstra), and viveka (critical discernment/aucitya).
By treating literary theory as a formal discipline alongside other sciences, the Agni Purana functions as an encyclopedia—here preserving a compact curriculum of Sanskrit poetics (sahitya and alankara) rather than restricting itself to myth or ritual alone.
It frames refined speech and discernment as rare attainments, implying that disciplined learning and right judgment purify expression; such cultivated, truthful, and appropriate language supports dharma and earns merit through responsible use of knowledge.