12. AGNIPURĀŅA 9

AGNIPURĀŅA 9

pounded at great length in the Srngāra-prakāsa in chap. XI. The Agnipurana (in chap. 338. 1-4) briefly touches this doctrine: अक्षरं परमं ब्रह्म सनातनमजं विभुम्। वेदान्तेषु वदन्त्येकं चैतन्यं ज्योतिरीश्वरम्। आनन्दः सहजस्तस्य व्यज्यते स कदाचन। व्यक्तिः सा तस्य चैतन्यचमत्काररसांहया। आध्स्तस्य विकारो यः सोऽहक्कार इति स्मृतः। ततोऽभिमानस्तत्रेदं समाप्तं सुवनत्रयम्॥ अभिमानाद्तिः सा च परिपोषमुपेयुषी। व्यभिचार्यादिसामान्याच्छृकार इति गीयते॥ तद्भेदा: काममितरे हास्यादया अप्यनेकशः (अग्नि० 338. 1-5); vide Agnipurana, 341. 3 also. But the Agnipurana, caring only for presenting the essence of several theories, tries to round off the theory of Ānanda-Ahankāra-Abhimāna-Rati by introducing in verses 7-9 the usual theory of eight or nine rasas based on Bharata's Nātyaśāstra. It is not possible to believe as Dr. De does (in H. S. P vol. II p. 334) that Bhoja built his all-embracing and elaborately worked out theory on the confused verses of the Agni (chap. 338). In chap. 338. 54 and 339 (verses 1-4) the Agnipurana deals with four kinds of ffas (styles), viz. पाञ्चाली, वैदर्भी, गौडी, and लाटी. The functions of these closely resemble what Bhoja says in the Srngāra-prakāśa ( vide Dr. Raghavan in J. O. R, Madras vol. X p. 768-779 wherein he criticizes some of the statements of Prof. P. C. Lahiri in I. H. Q. vol. IX pp. 448 ff, and in his Śrngāra-prakāśa vol. I part I pp. 196-201). It is therefore proper to hold that the Agnipurana which is not an original work on any subject but a mere encyclopaedic compilation most probably derived its inspiration from Bhoja. It has been shown by me in my H. of Dh. vol. I pp. 170-173 that the Vyavahara chapters (252-257) of the Agni borrow about 30 verses from Nāradasmrti in chap. 252 and about 280 verses from the Yajñavalkyasmrti in the other chapters. The foregoing discussion goes to establish that the अग्निपुराख is later than the 7th century at least and that the section on Poetics was certainly compiled about or a little after 900 A. D. and probably after 1050 A. D. It is significant that no early writer on Poetics quotes from or refers to the Agnipurana. मम्मट quotes from the विष्णुपुराख but nowhere refers to the अग्निपुराय. The first Alankara writer of note who distinctly mentions the भग्निपुराख as an authority on Poetics is विश्वनाथ (14th century), who quotes अग्नि 336.3-4 (in साहित्यदपण under I. 2) and 337. 7 (त्रिवर्गसाधनंनाट्यं), although works