Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 19
Rudra-śānti (रुद्रशान्ति)
अकारादिहकारन्ताः क्रमात् पक्षौ सितासितौ अनुस्वारविसर्गेण विना चैव स्वरा दश
akārādihakārantāḥ kramāt pakṣau sitāsitau anusvāravisargeṇa vinā caiva svarā daśa
Bắt đầu từ ‘a’ và kết thúc ở ‘ha’, theo thứ tự có hai dãy: nhóm ‘trắng’ (śita) và nhóm ‘đen’ (asita). Và nếu loại trừ anusvāra và visarga, thì nguyên âm có mười.
Lord Agni (teaching traditional śāstra classifications in the Agni Purana)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vyakarana","secondary_vidya":"Alamkara","practical_application":"Foundational phonetic/varṇa classification for teaching Sanskrit sounds: ordering from a to ha, grouping into two vargas/series, and enumerating vowels excluding anusvāra and visarga.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Varṇa-mālā: a–ha ordering; two groups; ten vowels (excluding anusvāra/visarga)","lookup_keywords":["a to ha","svara","anusvāra","visarga","varṇa-mālā"],"quick_summary":"Gives a compact phonetic schema: letters run from a to ha; two ordered groupings are noted; vowels are counted as ten when anusvāra and visarga are excluded—useful for primers and recitation training."}
Concept: Śabda-śuddhi: correct sound-knowledge as a prerequisite for mantra, ritual, and literature.
Application: Use as a mnemonic rule in teaching alphabets and in checking recitation accuracy.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Vyakarana/Varna-vijnana: Sanskrit phonetics and letters)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A classroom scene: a guru points to a written varṇamālā from ‘a’ to ‘ha’, highlighting two grouped columns (white/black series) and circling the ten vowels while leaving out anusvāra and visarga.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural; guru and students with palm-leaf board showing a–ha; two color-coded columns (śita/asita) and a highlighted vowel row; traditional scholastic interior.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore; gold-embellished manuscript page with varṇamālā; guru seated on pedestal teaching; ornate borders; vowels highlighted with gold dots, anusvāra/visarga shown but crossed out.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting; neat instructional chart of letters; teacher demonstrating pronunciation with hand gesture; fine detailing of script and learning tools.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature; madrasa-like setting with Sanskrit scholar; manuscript showing a–ha; students holding tablets; meticulous calligraphy and architectural background."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अकारादिहकारन्ताः = अकार-आदि-हकार-अन्ताः. चैव = च + एव.
Related Themes: Agni Purana sections on śikṣā/varṇa-vijñāna and sāhitya-śāstra topics
FAQs
It teaches a phonetic-grammatical classification of Sanskrit sounds: the alphabetic range from ‘a’ to ‘ha’, the division into two sets (sita/asita), and the count of vowels as ten when anusvāra and visarga are excluded.
Alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and warfare, the Agni Purana also preserves linguistic science (śikṣā/vyākaraṇa). This verse exemplifies its catalog-style transmission of technical definitions used for correct recitation, learning, and textual preservation.
Correct knowledge of sounds supports accurate mantra pronunciation and Vedic-style recitation; such precision is traditionally held to safeguard meaning and efficacy, thereby aiding purity of worship and merit from properly performed sacred speech.