Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 16
Chapter 360 — अव्ययवर्गाः
Groups of Indeclinables
स्वर्गे परे च लोके स्वर्वार्तासम्भावयोः किल निषेधवाक्यालङ्कारे जिज्ञासावसरे खलु
svarge pare ca loke svarvārtāsambhāvayoḥ kila niṣedhavākyālaṅkāre jijñāsāvasare khalu
Quả thật, trong ngữ cảnh về cõi trời (svarga) và thế giới cao thượng, vào dịp tra vấn, phép tu từ gọi là “câu nói mang tính cấm chỉ” được vận dụng, khi người ta đang suy xét khả năng của tin tức về cõi trời.
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana narrator) instructing sage Vasiṣṭha
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Apply a rhetorical device—prohibitive/negative statement (niṣedha-vākya) as an ornament—to frame inquiry about transcendent matters (svarga/para-loka) and to manage epistemic uncertainty in discourse.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Niṣedha-vākya-alankāra in para-loka-jijñāsā","lookup_keywords":["niṣedha-vākya","alankāra","svarga","para-loka","jijñāsā"],"quick_summary":"Explains a compositional ornament where prohibitive/negative phrasing is used at moments of inquiry about heaven/otherworldly reports, heightening contemplation and controlling assertion."}
Alamkara Type: Niṣedha-vākya (prohibitive/negative statement as ornament)
Concept: Epistemic humility: when discussing para-loka, rhetoric may employ negation/prohibition to avoid over-assertion and to provoke inquiry (jijñāsā).
Application: In devotional/philosophical poetry, use negation (e.g., ‘na…’, ‘mā…’) to intensify longing and contemplation about heaven/afterlife without claiming direct verification.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Alankara & Kavya-nyaya / Rhetoric and Poetics)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A poet-sage points upward toward luminous celestial realms while composing a verse that uses a prohibitive/negative statement; listeners sit in inquiry, suggesting contemplation of uncertain heavenly tidings.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: luminous layered heavens above, sage below with raised hand in a restraining gesture (niṣedha), students in attentive jijñāsā, stylized cloud-palaces and divine light, captions 'स्वर्ग' 'परे लोके'.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: celestial arch with gold-leaf radiance, sage and disciples in foreground, a prominent ‘stop/prohibition’ mudra indicating niṣedha-vākya, rich ornamentation and gilded halos.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: didactic scene with a labeled banner 'निषेधवाक्यालङ्कारः', a poet demonstrating how negation frames inquiry about svarga, clear composition and readable labels.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: night-sky gradient with celestial city, a scholar-poet in a garden pavilion composing, listeners debating; calligraphic cartouche shows a negative/prohibitive line as the rhetorical ornament."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्वर्+वार्ता→स्वर्वार्ता; निषेधवाक्य+अलङ्कारे→निषेधवाक्यालङ्कारे; जिज्ञासा+अवसरे→जिज्ञासावसरे
Related Themes: Agni Purana 360 (sahitya-shastra: alankāra/prayoga); Agni Purana cosmology sections (svarga/para-loka descriptions, elsewhere in Purana)
FAQs
It imparts kavya-śāstra knowledge: how the niṣedha-vākya alaṅkāra (a rhetorical ornament using negation/prohibition) is applied, especially in contexts that raise inquiry and conjecture about heavenly realms.
Beyond ritual and dharma, the Agni Purana codifies Sanskrit poetics and rhetorical theory. This verse shows the text functioning as a handbook of alaṅkāra-śāstra by defining where a specific ornament (niṣedha-vākya) is contextually appropriate.
Indirectly, it frames how discourse about svarga and para-loka is shaped: careful, inquiry-driven speech (including strategic negation) guides understanding and reflection on higher goals, encouraging discernment rather than credulity.