Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 30
Chapter 342: शब्दालङ्काराः
Verbal/Sound-based Ornaments
अपनीताक्षरस्थाने न्यस्ते वर्णान्तरे ऽपि च भासते ऽर्थान्तरं यत्र च्युतदत्तं तदुच्यते
apanītākṣarasthāne nyaste varṇāntare 'pi ca bhāsate 'rthāntaraṃ yatra cyutadattaṃ taducyate
Khi tại chỗ của một âm tiết bị loại bỏ, lại chèn vào một chữ khác, khiến một nghĩa khác trở nên hiển lộ, thì lỗi ấy được gọi là cyuta-datta (“thay thế lệch chỗ”).
Lord Agni (narrating to the sage Vashistha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Textual/poetic fault-diagnosis: recognizing when substitution of a different letter in place of a removed syllable produces an unintended different meaning (a corruption or doṣa).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Cyuta-datta doṣa: displaced substitution causing arthāntara","lookup_keywords":["cyuta-datta","akṣara-cyuti","varṇa-nyāsa","arthāntara","pāṭha-doṣa"],"quick_summary":"Cyuta-datta is the fault where, after a syllable is removed, another letter is inserted in its place, making a different meaning appear—often indicating corruption or defective composition."}
Alamkara Type: Doṣa-nirṇaya (śabda-doṣa)
Concept: Small phonemic substitutions can derail meaning; disciplined transmission and composition prevent unintended arthāntara.
Application: For scribes/editors: collate manuscripts and check for letter-substitution errors; for poets: avoid accidental near-homophones that create unwanted meanings.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Kavya and Dosha-Nirnaya)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A scribe erases a syllable and mistakenly inserts a different letter; a teacher points out how the meaning has changed, marking it as cyuta-datta.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, scribe with stylus over palm-leaf, scraped area where an akṣara was removed, new varṇa inserted, teacher gesturing to the changed meaning, earthy palette and bold outlines","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-accented writing desk, palm-leaf with corrected letter, teacher holding a pointer, visual contrast between original and substituted akṣara, ornate border","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional diagram: original syllable crossed out, substituted letter highlighted, arrows showing meaning shift (arthāntara), calm scholarly setting","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, manuscript workshop, one scribe correcting while another compares exemplar, marginal notes indicating the doṣa, fine detail of tools and script"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अपनीताक्षरस्थाने = अपनीत-अक्षर-स्थाने; वर्णान्तरेऽपि = वर्ण-अन्तरे अपि; भासतेऽर्थान्तरं = भासते अर्थ-अन्तरम्; च्युतदत्तं = च्युत-दत्तम्; तदुच्यते = तत् उच्यते
Related Themes: Agni Purana 342.28 (pāṭha-corruption via svara/vyañjana/bindu/visarga); Agni Purana 342.29 (datta: second meaning without substitution)
FAQs
It teaches a technical rule of Sanskrit poetics/philology: identifying the shabda-dosha called cyuta-datta, where an incorrect substitute letter is inserted at the site of an omission, producing a different meaning.
Beyond ritual and theology, the Agni Purana also codifies literary science—classifying textual/phonetic faults used in composing, reciting, and copying verses—showing its coverage of grammar, poetics, and manuscript-level correctness.
By preventing meaning-shifting corruptions in sacred and literary recitation, it supports accurate transmission of dharma-teachings; correctness in utterance and text is treated as a form of purity and faithful preservation of scripture.