Agni Purana

अभिधेयाविनाभूता प्रतीतिर्ल्लक्षणोच्यते । अभिधेयेन सम्बन्धात्सामीप्यात्समवायतः ।। ३४५.

That is called 'indication' where the apprehension is inseparable from the indicated; through relation with the indicated, proximity, or inclusion.

वैपरीत्यात्‌क्रियायोगाल्लक्षणा पञ्चधा मता । गौणीगुणानामानन्त्यादनन्ता तद्विवक्षया ।। ३४५.

Indication is considered fivefold: by opposition, by association with action, etc.; secondary meaning is endless, because qualities are infinite and intended.

अन्यधर्म्मस्ततोऽन्यत्र लोकसीमानुरोधिना । सम्यगाधीयते यत्र स समाधिरिह स्मृतः ।। ३४५.

Where another attribute is properly applied elsewhere, in accordance with worldly limits, that is called 'samadhi' here.

श्रुतेरलभ्यमानोऽर्थो यस्माद्भाति सचेतनः । स आक्षएपो ध्वनिः स्याच्च ध्वनिना व्यज्यते यतः ।। ३४५.

When a meaning not obtained by audibility appears consciously, that is 'suggestion', and is called 'dhvani', because it is revealed by suggestion.

शब्देनार्थेन यत्रार्थः कृत्वा स्वयमुपार्जनम् । प्रतिषेध इवेष्टस्य यो विशेषोऽभिधित्सया ।। ३४५.

Where, by word and meaning, a meaning is self-generated, like a prohibition of what is desired, that special intent arises from the wish to express.

तमाक्षेपं ब्रुवन्त्यत्र स्तुतं स्तोत्रमिदं पुनः । अधिकारादपेतस्य वस्तुनोऽन्यस्य या स्तुतिः ।। ३४५.

That suggestion is called here 'praise', and this is the hymn again; the praise of another object, when the proper subject is absent, is due to the context.

यत्रोक्तं गम्यते नार्थस्तत्‌समानविशेषणं । सा समासोक्तिरुदिता सङ्‌क्षेपार्थतया बुधैः ।। ३४५.

Where the meaning is not directly stated but is inferred, that is called 'compact expression', recognized by the wise as conciseness of meaning.

अपह्नुतिरपह्नुत्य किञ्चिदन्यार्थसूचनम् । पर्य्यायोक्तं यदन्येन प्रकारेणाभिधीयते ।। ३४५.

Concealment is the act of hiding, or suggesting another meaning; 'synonymous expression' is when something is expressed in another manner.

एषामेकंतमस्येव समाख्या ध्वनिरित्यतः ।। ३४५.

Among these, the highest is called 'dhvani', thus.

काव्यगुणविवेकः । अग्निरुवाच । अलंकृतमपि प्रीत्यै न काव्यं निर्गुणं भवेत् । वपुष्य ललिते स्त्रीणां हारो भारयते परं ।। ३४६.

Agni said: Even if adorned, poetry without qualities cannot bring delight; just as a necklace, though beautiful, burdens a graceful woman.

न च वाच्यं गुणो दोषो भाव एव भविष्यति । गुणाः श्लेषादयो दोषा गुढ़ार्थाद्याः पृथक् कृताः ।। ३४६.

A quality or fault is not merely in the meaning; qualities like pun and faults like obscurity are separately established.

यः काव्ये महतीं छायामनुगृह्णात्यसौ गुणः । सम्भवत्येष सामान्यो वैशेषिक इति द्विधा ।। ३४६.

That which imparts a great radiance to poetry is called a quality; it is of two kinds: general and particular.

सर्व्वंसाधारणीभूतः सामान्य इति मन्य्ते । शव्दमर्थमुभौ प्राप्तः सामान्यो भवति त्रिधा ।। ३४६.

That which is common to all is considered general; when both word and meaning are attained, the general quality is threefold.

शब्दमाश्रयते काव्यं शरीरं यः स तद्‌गुणः । श्लेषो लालित्यगाम्भीर्य्यसौकुमार्य्यमुदारता ।। ३४६.

Poetry relies on words; the quality that forms its body is pun, elegance, profundity, delicacy, and nobility.

सत्येव यौगिकी चेति गुणाः शब्दस्य सप्तधा । सुश्लिष्टसन्निवेशत्वं शब्दानां श्लेष उच्यते ।। ३४६.

Indeed, there are seven qualities of words: literal and derivative; the harmonious arrangement of words is called pun.

गुणादेशादिना पूर्व्वं पदसम्बद्धमक्षरं । यत्र सन्धीयते नैव तल्लालित्यमुदाहृतं ।। ३४६.

Where a syllable is joined with a preceding word by means of a quality or its substitute, and not by mere conjunction, that is called elegance.

विशिष्टलक्षणोल्लेखलेख्यमुत्तानशब्दकम् । गाम्भीर्य्यं कथयन्त्यार्य्यास्तदेवान्येषु शब्दतां ।। ३४६.

Distinctive features, vivid expression, and prominent wording are called profundity by the learned; in other cases, they pertain to words.

अनिष्ठुराक्षरप्रायशब्दता सुकुमारता । उत्तानपदतौदार्य्ययुतश्लाघ्यैर्विशेषणैः ।। ३४६.

The quality of delicacy is found in words mostly free from harsh syllables, praised with distinguished, prominent expressions.

ओजः समासभूयस्त्वमेतत्पद्यादिजीवितं । आब्रह्म स्तम्भपर्य्यन्तमोजसैकेन पौरुषं ।। ३४६.

Vigor is the abundance of compounds; it is the life of verse and similar forms. From Brahma down to a blade of grass, vigor alone is manliness.

उच्यमानस्य शब्देन येन केनापि वस्तुनः । उत्कर्षमावहन्नर्थो गुण इत्यबिधीयते ।। ३४६.

When a word, spoken about any object, brings forth excellence in meaning, it is called a quality.

माधुर्य्यं सम्बिधानञ्च कोमलत्वमूदारता । प्रौढ़िः सामयिकत्वञ्च तद्‌भेदाः षट्‌चकाशति ।। ३४६.

Sweetness, coherence, softness, nobility, maturity, and conventionality—these six are its divisions.

क्रोधेर्ष्याकारगाम्भीर्य्यान्माधुर्य्यं धैर्य्यगाहिता । सम्बिधानं परिकरः स्यादपेक्षइतसिद्धये ।। ३४६.

Sweetness arises from depth of anger, envy, and composure; coherence is the arrangement necessary for achieving the intended result.

यत्‌काठिन्यादिनिर्मुक्तसन्निवेशविशिष्टता । तिरस्कृत्यैव मृकदुता भाति कोमलतेति सा ।। ३४६.

Where there is a distinctive arrangement free from hardness and the like, and where roughness is excluded, that is called softness.

लक्ष्यते स्थूललक्षत्वप्रवृत्तेर्यत्र लक्षणम् । गुणल्य तदुदारत्वमाशयस्यातिसौष्ठवं ।। ३४६.

Where the mark is perceived through gross indication and tendency, the quality of nobility is the utmost refinement of intent.

अभिप्रेतं प्रति यतो निर्व्वाहस्योपपादिकाः । युक्तयो हेतुगर्भिण्यः प्रौढाप्रौढिरुदाहृता ।। ३४६.

Where means, containing reasons, are provided for the accomplishment of the intended purpose, maturity is thus described.

स्वतन्त्रस्यान्यतन्त्रस्य वाह्यान्तः समयोगतः । तत्र व्युत्पत्तिरर्थस्य या सामयिकतेति सा ।। ३४६.

Whether independent or dependent, arising from external or internal conventions, the development of meaning there is called conventionality.

शब्दार्थावुपकुर्व्वाणो नाम्नोभयगुणः स्मृतः । तस्य प्र्सादः सौभाग्यं यथासङ्‌ख्यं प्रशस्तता ।। ३४६.

That which enhances both word and meaning is remembered as the dual quality; its clarity, charm, and excellence are praised according to their order.

काको राग इकति प्राज्ञैः षट् प्रपञ्चविपञ्चिताः । पाको राग इति प्राज्ञैः पाठभेदः सुप्रसिद्धार्थपदता प्रसाद इति गीयते ।। ३४६.

The wise call it kāka or rāga; six are explained as the varieties of prapañca. The wise also call it pāka or rāga; this is a difference in reading. The words are well-known in meaning, and this clarity is praised.

उत्कर्षवान् गुणः कश्चिद्यस्मिन्नुक्तेप्रतीयते । तत्सौभाग्यमुदारत्वं प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः ।। ३४६.

When a certain excellence is perceived in an utterance, the learned declare that its good fortune and nobility are present.