8. AGNIPURĀŅA 5

AGNIPURĀŅA 5

present Agnipurāna, and in many extracts the interlocutors are Vasistha and king Ambarīșa (and not Agni and Vasiștha as in the current Agni). It appears that the old Agnipurāna was recast and then it assumed the present form. Vide J. O. R., Madras, Vol. XII p. 129 at pp. 134-135 (for the paper 'Purānas known to Ballālasena'). Chapter 336(=337 of Anan.ed) defines a Kauya, classifies Kauyas into संस्कृत and प्राकृत (of three sorts) into गद्य, पद and मिश्र; subdivides these and defines in particular कथा, आाख्यायिका, महाकाव्य. Chapter 337 deals with topics of dramaturgy (such as twelve kinds of dramas, उपरूपकS, प्रस्तावना, the five अर्थप्रकृतिs, the five सन्धिs). Chapter 338 speaks of the rasas together with the स्थायिभावS, अनुभावs, व्यमिचारिभावs, the आलम्बन- विभाव and उद्दीपनविभाव, the various kinds of heroes and their companions and the heroines (नायिका), the eight qualities of heroes and the twelve vibhavas of heroines. Chapter 339 speaks of the four ritis, पाञचाली, गौडी, वैदर्भी and लाटी and the four वृत्तिs, भारती, सात्त्वती, कौशिकी (कैशिकी?) and भारभटी. Chapter 340 contains a description of the various natural movements of the principal limbs ( head, hands, feet &c. ) and other parts of the body (eyebrows &c.) in dancing. Chapter 341 dilates upon the four kinds of अभिनय (acting), सान्विक, वाचिक, आङिक and आहार्य. Chapter 342 defines and divides शब्दालक्कारs, viz. अनुप्रास, यमक (of ten kinds), चित्र (seven varieties), 16 kinds of प्रहेलिकाs, bandhas called गोमूत्रिका, सर्वतोभद्र &c. Chap. 343 deals with अरथालक्वारs (such as उपमा, रूपक सहोक्ति & c, their definitions and sub-divisions). Chap. 344 is spoken of as dealing with शब्दार्थालक्वारs, but therein are included such figures as आक्षेप, समासोकि, पर्यायोक्त. Chapters 345 and 346 dwell respectively upon the गुखs and दोषs of काव्य. There are in all 362 verses in these chapters. It is not possible to give here even a brief analysis of the contents of the 11500 verses of the Agnipurana. It is an encyclopaedia dealing with all sorts of subjects in which mediaeval India was interested. The evidence for determining the date of the Agnipurana (and particularly of the sahitya portion) and for examining whether it can be regarded as the oldest extant work on Poetics is as follows :- (a) The अगिपुराख refers to the seven kandas of the रामायय, to the हरिवंश, to पिकल (327. 1, 336.22), पालकाप्य, शालिहोत्र, भन्वन्तरि and gea. It contains ( chap. 380 ) a short summary in 58