Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 19
Chapter 360 — अव्ययवर्गाः
Groups of Indeclinables
चिराय चिररात्राय चिरस्याद्याश्चिरार्थकाः मुहुः पुनः पुनः शश्वदभीक्ष्णमसकृत् समाः
cirāya cirarātrāya cirasyādyāścirārthakāḥ muhuḥ punaḥ punaḥ śaśvadabhīkṣṇamasakṛt samāḥ
‘چِرائے’، ‘چِرراترائے’، ‘چِرَسْیَ’ وغیرہ طویل مدت کے معنی دیتے ہیں؛ اور ‘مُہُḥ’، ‘پُنَہ پُنَہ’، ‘شَشْوَت’، ‘اَبھِیکْشْنَم’، ‘اَسَکْرِت’ یہ سب ہم معنی ہیں—سب تکرار یا دوامِ تکرار کا مفہوم ادا کرتے ہیں۔
Lord Agni (in instruction on Sanskrit usage/poetic diction) to Sage Vasiṣṭha
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vyakarana","secondary_vidya":"Alamkara","practical_application":"Synonym control for temporal duration and repetition: selecting the right adverbs/phrases to avoid monotony while preserving meaning in kavya and prose.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Equivalents for long duration and repeated recurrence","lookup_keywords":["ciraya","muhuh","shashvat","abhikshnam","asakrit"],"quick_summary":"Lists near-synonyms: cirāya/cirarātrāya/cirasya etc. for long duration; muhuḥ/punaḥ punaḥ/śaśvat/abhīkṣṇam/asakṛt for repeated or continual recurrence. Useful for stylistic variation with semantic fidelity."}
Alamkara Type: Shabda-vaicitrya (lexical variety) supporting anuprasa-like flow without semantic drift
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Alankara & Shabda-kosha: Synonyms/Usage in Poetics)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A poet’s thesaurus page showing two columns: ‘long duration’ terms and ‘repetition’ terms, with a scribe carefully copying and a poet selecting words for a verse.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, scholar-scribe duo in a manuscript room, two-column palm-leaf text highlighted, rhythmic decorative motifs suggesting repetition, warm ochres and reds.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ornate desk with manuscript, gold-leaf borders around two labeled sections ‘cira’ and ‘punah’, poet holding a stylus as if choosing among synonyms, rich jewel tones.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional chart-like composition: columns of words with small icons (sunset for long time, circular arrow for repetition), fine lines and soft shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, atelier scene with calligrapher and poet, open folio with neatly ruled columns of synonyms, intricate margins and floral borders."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चिरस्याद्याश्चिरार्थकाः → cirasya + ādyāḥ + cirārthakāḥ. शश्वदभीक्ष्णमसकृत् → śaśvat + abhīkṣṇam + asakṛt.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 360 (synonym/avyaya catalogues for poetic diction)
FAQs
This verse imparts Śābdika/Sāhitya knowledge: it classifies near-synonyms that express long duration and repeated occurrence, guiding precise word-choice in composition and exposition.
By including lexicography and synonymy alongside ritual and dharma topics, the Agni Purana functions as a reference manual—here, it supplies a compact thesaurus for Sanskrit usage, useful for poets, teachers, and commentators.
Right speech (śuddha-vāk) and accurate expression support truthful teaching, recitation, and praise; mastering such usage is traditionally viewed as aiding mantra-recitation, learning, and the merit of transmitting scripture without distortion.