Agni Purana — Chapter 337

AgP 337.1

:ए इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे अलङ्कारे काव्यादिलक्षणं नाम षट्त्रिंशदधिकत्रिशततमो ऽध्यायः :न् १ जुष्टमिति ज॥ , ट॥ च :प् २०२ छप्तेर् {३३७} :श् अथ सप्तत्रिंशदधिकत्रिशततमो ऽध्यायः नाटकनिरूपणम् अग्निर् उवाच नाटकं सप्रकरणं डिम ईहामृगो ऽपि वा ज्ञेयः समवकारश् च भवेत् प्रहसनन्तथा

:e ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe alaṅkāre kāvyādilakṣaṇaṃ nāma ṣaṭtriṃśadadhikatriśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ :n 1 juṣṭamiti ja.. , ṭa.. ca :p 202 chapter {337} :ś atha saptatriṃśadadhikatriśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ nāṭakanirūpaṇam agnir uvāca nāṭakaṃ saprakaraṇaṃ ḍima īhāmṛgo 'pi vā jñeyaḥ samavakāraś ca bhavet prahasanantathā

Thus in the Āgneya Mahāpurāṇa, in (the section on) figures of speech, the three hundred and thirty-sixth chapter, called the definition of poetry and the rest. — Now the three hundred and thirty-seventh chapter: the exposition of drama. Agni said: The nāṭaka, together with the prakaraṇa, the ḍima, or the īhāmṛga, are to be known; and there is the samavakāra, and likewise the prahasana,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 337.2

व्यायोगभाणवीथ्यङ्कत्रोटकान्यथ नाटिका सट्टकं शिल्पकः कर्णा एको दुर्मल्लिका तथा

vyāyogabhāṇavīthyaṅkatroṭakānyatha nāṭikā saṭṭakaṃ śilpakaḥ karṇā eko durmallikā tathā

then the vyāyoga, bhāṇa, vīthī, aṅka and troṭaka; likewise the nāṭikā, the saṭṭaka, the śilpaka, the karṇa, the eka, and the durmallikā,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 337.3

प्रस्थानं भाणिका भाणी गोष्ठी हल्लीशकानि च काव्यं श्रीगदितं नाट्यरासकं रासकं तथा

prasthānaṃ bhāṇikā bhāṇī goṣṭhī hallīśakāni ca kāvyaṃ śrīgaditaṃ nāṭyarāsakaṃ rāsakaṃ tathā

the prasthāna, the bhāṇikā, the bhāṇī, the goṣṭhī and the hallīśakas, the kāvya, the śrīgadita, the nāṭyarāsaka, and likewise the rāsaka,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 337.4

उल्लाप्यकं प्रेङ्क्षणञ्च सप्तविंशतिरेव तत् सामान्यञ्च विशेषश् च लक्षणस्य द्वयी गतिः

ullāpyakaṃ preṅkṣaṇañca saptaviṃśatireva tat sāmānyañca viśeṣaś ca lakṣaṇasya dvayī gatiḥ

the ullāpyaka and the prekṣaṇa: that makes just twenty-seven. And (there is) the general and the particular: the definition proceeds in two ways.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 337.5

सामान्यं सर्वविषयं शेषः क्वापि प्रवर्तते पूर्वरङ्गे निवृत्ते द्वौ देशकालावुभावपि

sāmānyaṃ sarvaviṣayaṃ śeṣaḥ kvāpi pravartate pūrvaraṅge nivṛtte dvau deśakālāvubhāvapi

The general has everything for its scope; the rest applies (only) in some place. When the preliminaries (pūrvaraṅga) have ended, both the two, place and time (are to be settled).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AgP 337.6

रसभावविभावानुभावा अभिनयास् तथा अङ्कः स्थितिश् च सामान्यं सर्वत्रैवोपसर्पणात्

rasabhāvavibhāvānubhāvā abhinayās tathā aṅkaḥ sthitiś ca sāmānyaṃ sarvatraivopasarpaṇāt

The rasas, the emotional states, the determinants and the consequents, likewise the modes of representation, the act and the situation, are general, since they occur everywhere.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 337.7

विशेषो ऽवसरे वाच्यः सामान्यं पूर्वमुच्यते त्रिवर्गसाधनन्नाट्यमित्याहुः करणञ्च यत्

viśeṣo 'vasare vācyaḥ sāmānyaṃ pūrvamucyate trivargasādhanannāṭyamityāhuḥ karaṇañca yat

The particular is to be stated on its own occasion; the general is stated first. They say that drama is a means to the three aims (of life), and (so is) that which is the performance (karaṇa).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AgP 337.8

इतिकर्तव्यता तस्य पूर्वरङ्गो यथाविधि नान्दीमुखानि द्वात्रिंशदङ्गानि पूर्वरङ्गके

itikartavyatā tasya pūrvaraṅgo yathāvidhi nāndīmukhāni dvātriṃśadaṅgāni pūrvaraṅgake

Its required procedure is the pūrvaraṅga, according to rule; the nāndī-openings are the thirty-two limbs in the pūrvaraṅga.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AgP 337.9

देवतानां नमस्कारो गुरूणामपि च स्तुतिः गोब्राह्मणनृपादीनामाशीर्वादादि गीयते

devatānāṃ namaskāro gurūṇāmapi ca stutiḥ gobrāhmaṇanṛpādīnāmāśīrvādādi gīyate

Salutation to the deities, and also praise of the teachers; benedictions and the like for cows, brahmins, the king and so on are sung.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 337.10

नान्द्यन्ते सूत्रधारो ऽसौ रूपकेषु निबध्यते गुरुपूर्वक्रमं वंशप्रशंसा पौरुषं कवेः

nāndyante sūtradhāro 'sau rūpakeṣu nibadhyate gurupūrvakramaṃ vaṃśapraśaṃsā pauruṣaṃ kaveḥ

At the end of the benediction (nāndī), that stage-manager (sūtradhāra) is introduced in the dramatic works; (he presents) the order beginning with the teacher, praise of the lineage, and the poet's own accomplishment.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AgP 337.11

:प् २०३ सम्बन्धार्थौ च काव्यस्य पञ्चैतानेष निर्दिशेत् नटी विदूषको वापि पारिपार्श्विक एव वा

:p 203 sambandhārthau ca kāvyasya pañcaitāneṣa nirdiśet naṭī vidūṣako vāpi pāripārśvika eva vā

and the connection and the subject-matter of the poem — these five he should indicate; or the actress, or the jester, or indeed the assistant (pāripārśvika).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AgP 337.12

सहिताः सूत्रधारेण संलापं यत्र कुर्वते चित्रैर् वाक्यैः स्वकार्योत्थैः प्रस्तुताक्षेपिभिर्मिथः

sahitāḥ sūtradhāreṇa saṃlāpaṃ yatra kurvate citrair vākyaiḥ svakāryotthaiḥ prastutākṣepibhirmithaḥ

When these, together with the stage-manager, carry on a conversation with one another by means of varied speeches arising from their own affairs and alluding to the matter to be presented,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 337.13

आमुखं तत्तु विज्ञेयं बुधैः प्रस्तावनापि सा प्रवृत्तकं कथोद्घातः प्रयोगातिशयस् तथा

āmukhaṃ tattu vijñeyaṃ budhaiḥ prastāvanāpi sā pravṛttakaṃ kathodghātaḥ prayogātiśayas tathā

that is to be known by the wise as the āmukha, and it is also (called) prastāvanā; (its kinds are) pravṛttaka, kathodghāta, and likewise prayogātiśaya.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 337.14

आमुखस्य त्रयो भेदा वीजांशेषूपजायते कालं प्रवृत्तमाश्रित्य सूत्रधृग्यत्र वर्णयेत्

āmukhasya trayo bhedā vījāṃśeṣūpajāyate kālaṃ pravṛttamāśritya sūtradhṛgyatra varṇayet

There are three divisions of the āmukha; it arises within the portions of the germ (of the plot). Where the stage-manager describes (something) with reference to the current season,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AgP 337.15

तदाश्रयश् च पात्रस्य प्रवेशस्तत् प्रवृत्तकं सूत्रधारस्य वाक्यं वा यत्र वाक्यार्थमेव वा

tadāśrayaś ca pātrasya praveśastat pravṛttakaṃ sūtradhārasya vākyaṃ vā yatra vākyārthameva vā

and dependent on that comes the entrance of a character — that is the pravṛttaka. Or where, taking up a speech of the stage-manager, or the sense of (his) speech,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 337.16

गृहीत्वा प्रविशेत् पात्रं कथोद्घातः स उच्यते प्रयोगेषु प्रयोगन्तु सूत्रधृग्यत्र वर्णयेत्

gṛhītvā praviśet pātraṃ kathodghātaḥ sa ucyate prayogeṣu prayogantu sūtradhṛgyatra varṇayet

a character enters, that is called kathodghāta. But where the stage-manager describes a performance among the performances,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AgP 337.17

ततश् च प्रविशेत् पात्रं प्रयोगातिशयो हि सः शरीरं नाटकादीनामितिवृत्तं प्रचक्षते

tataś ca praviśet pātraṃ prayogātiśayo hi saḥ śarīraṃ nāṭakādīnāmitivṛttaṃ pracakṣate

and thereupon a character enters — that indeed is the prayogātiśaya. They declare the plot (itivṛtta) to be the body of dramas and the rest.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 337.18

सिद्धमुत्प्रेक्षितञ्चेति तस्य भेदाबुभौ स्मृतौ सिद्धमागमदृष्टञ्च सृष्टमुत्प्रेक्षितं कवेः

siddhamutprekṣitañceti tasya bhedābubhau smṛtau siddhamāgamadṛṣṭañca sṛṣṭamutprekṣitaṃ kaveḥ

"Established" (siddha) and "imagined" (utprekṣita) — these two are held to be its divisions: the established is what is seen in traditional sources, the imagined is created by the poet.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 337.19

वीजं विन्दुः पताका च प्रकरी कार्यमेव च अर्थप्रकृतयः पञ्च पञ्च चेष्टा अपि क्रमात्

vījaṃ vinduḥ patākā ca prakarī kāryameva ca arthaprakṛtayaḥ pañca pañca ceṣṭā api kramāt

The germ (vīja), the drop (bindu), the banner (patākā), the episode (prakarī), and the object (kārya) — these are the five elements of the subject-matter; and there are also five stages, in order.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 337.20

प्रारम्भश् च प्रयत्नश् च प्राप्तिः सद्भाव एव च नियता च फलप्राप्तिः फलयोगश् च पञ्चमः

prārambhaś ca prayatnaś ca prāptiḥ sadbhāva eva ca niyatā ca phalaprāptiḥ phalayogaś ca pañcamaḥ

Beginning (prārambha), effort (prayatna), the prospect (prāpti), certainty of attainment (sadbhāva), and the assured obtaining of the fruit — and the union with the fruit (phalayoga) is the fifth.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AgP 337.21

मुखं प्रतिमुखं गर्भो विमर्षश् च तथैव च तथा निर्वहणञ्चेति क्रमात् पञ्चैव सन्धयः

mukhaṃ pratimukhaṃ garbho vimarṣaś ca tathaiva ca tathā nirvahaṇañceti kramāt pañcaiva sandhayaḥ

The opening (mukha), the progression (pratimukha), the development (garbha), likewise the crisis (vimarṣa), and so the conclusion (nirvahaṇa) — these in order are the five junctures (sandhi).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 337.22

अल्पमात्रं समुद्दिष्टं बहुधा यत् प्रसर्पति :प् २०४ फलावसानं यच्चैव वीजं तदभिधीयते

alpamātraṃ samuddiṣṭaṃ bahudhā yat prasarpati :p 204 phalāvasānaṃ yaccaiva vījaṃ tadabhidhīyate

That which, when set forth in a very small measure, spreads out in many ways and ends in the fruit — that is called the germ (vīja).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 337.23

यत्र वीजसमुत्पत्तिर्नानार्थरससम्भवा काव्ये शरीरानुगतं तन्मुखं परिकीर्तितं

yatra vījasamutpattirnānārtharasasambhavā kāvye śarīrānugataṃ tanmukhaṃ parikīrtitaṃ

Where in a poem there is the arising of the germ, productive of various meanings and flavours, following upon the body (of the plot) — that is declared to be the mukha.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

AgP 337.24

इष्टस्यार्थस्य रचना वृत्तान्तस्यानुपक्षयः रागप्राप्तिः प्रयोगस्य गुह्यानाञ्चैव गूहनम्

iṣṭasyārthasya racanā vṛttāntasyānupakṣayaḥ rāgaprāptiḥ prayogasya guhyānāñcaiva gūhanam

The arrangement of the desired matter, the non-diminishing of the narrative, the attainment of interest for the performance, and the concealing of what is to be kept secret,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AgP 337.25

आश् चर्यवदभिख्यातं प्रकाशानां प्रकाशनम् अङ्गहीनं नरो यद्वन्न श्रेष्ठं काव्यमेव च

āś caryavadabhikhyātaṃ prakāśānāṃ prakāśanam aṅgahīnaṃ naro yadvanna śreṣṭhaṃ kāvyameva ca

the setting forth as if marvellous, the revealing of what is (to be) revealed; for just as a man lacking a limb (is not excellent), so too a poem is not excellent.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AgP 337.26

देशकालौ विना किञ्चिन्नेतिवृत्तं प्रवर्तते अतस्तयोरुपादाननियमात् पदमुच्यते

deśakālau vinā kiñcinnetivṛttaṃ pravartate atastayorupādānaniyamāt padamucyate

No plot proceeds without place and time; hence, because of the rule of adopting these two, the "step" (pada) is spoken of.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

AgP 337.27

देशेषु भारतं वर्षं काले कृतयुगत्रयं नर्ते ताभ्यां प्राणभृतां सुखदुःखोदयः क्वचित् सर्गे सर्गादिवार्ता च प्रसज्जन्ती न दुष्यति

deśeṣu bhārataṃ varṣaṃ kāle kṛtayugatrayaṃ narte tābhyāṃ prāṇabhṛtāṃ sukhaduḥkhodayaḥ kvacit sarge sargādivārtā ca prasajjantī na duṣyati

Among places, the land of Bharata; as to time, the three ages beginning with the Kṛta; for without these two there is nowhere any arising of pleasure and pain for living beings. And occasionally, in a canto, an account of creation and the like, introduced (incidentally), is not a fault.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain