Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 18

Chapter 366 — सामान्यनामलिङ्गानि

Common Noun-Forms and Their Grammatical Genders

Devanagari script

सुदूरे तु दविष्ठं स्याद्वृत्तं निस्तलवर्तुले उच्चप्रांशून्नतोदग्रा ध्रुवो नित्यः सनातनः

Transliteration

sudūre tu daviṣṭhaṃ syādvṛttaṃ nistalavartule uccaprāṃśūnnatodagrā dhruvo nityaḥ sanātanaḥ

Translation

确然，它极其遥远——最为遥远；其形圆满，如光滑的圆盘。高峻挺拔，上升而顶端显著——德鲁瓦（北极星）安住不动，恒常不灭，太古本初。

Word by Word

• सुदूरे: very far away
• सुदूरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु-दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण), अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अर्थे ‘अतिदूरे’ (very far)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/समुच्चय-भेदक (but/indeed)

• दविष्ठम्: farthest/very far
• दविष्ठम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; अतिशय-तुल्य (superlative) ‘अतिदूरतमम्’

• स्यात्: would be/should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वृत्तम्: round
• वृत्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘गोल/वर्तुल’

• निस्तल-वर्तुले: round without a flat base
• निस्तल-वर्तुले: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः-तल + वर्तुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया द्विवचन (युग्मविशेषण-रूपे); कर्मधारयः—‘तलरहितं वर्तुलं’

• उच्च-प्रांशु-उन्नत-उदग्रा: high, tall, elevated, prominent
• उच्च-प्रांशु-उन्नत-उदग्रा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्च + प्रांशु + उन्नत + उदग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व/विशेषण-समुच्चयः (a set of adjectives)

• ध्रुवः: fixed/steady
• ध्रुवः: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• नित्यः: eternal/constant
• नित्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• सनातनः: ancient/perpetual
• सनातनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्याद्वृत्तम् = स्यात् + वृत्तम्; पुराणपाठे ‘निस्तलवर्तुले’ इति समासः; ‘उच्चप्रांशून्नतोदग्रा’ = उच्च + प्रांशु + उन्नत + उदग्रा (विशेषण-समुच्चयः).

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva (Pole Star)

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It imparts cosmographic-astronomical (Jyotiṣa) knowledge: Dhruva is characterized as extremely distant, fixed, and described with a round, smooth form—useful as the cosmic reference point for directionality in traditional celestial mapping.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

By including precise cosmography and star-lore (Dhruva’s fixity, distance, and form), the Agni Purana expands beyond myth into technical descriptions of the cosmos, aligning with its multi-disciplinary, encyclopedic scope.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

Dhruva’s “fixed” and “eternal” nature functions as a contemplative model of steadiness (dhruvatva): meditating on cosmic order and permanence supports mental stability and dharmic orientation.