Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 3
Chapter 172 — “Expiations beginning with the Secret
Rites)” (Rahasya-ādi-prāyaścitta
चित्तस्थमीशमव्यक्तमनन्तमपराजितं विष्णुमीड्यमशेषेण अनादिनिधनं विभुं
cittasthamīśamavyaktamanantamaparājitaṃ viṣṇumīḍyamaśeṣeṇa anādinidhanaṃ vibhuṃ
أُسبِّح فيشنو—الربَّ القائمَ في الذهن؛ غيرَ المتجلّي، اللامتناهي، الذي لا يُقهَر؛ المستحقَّ للعبادة على التمام؛ الشاملَ لكلِّ شيء، بلا بداية ولا نهاية.
Lord Agni (narrating a Vishnu-stuti within the Agni Purana’s instruction to Vashistha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Stotra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Dhyana and stuti for steadiness of mind, bhakti, and purification; used as a daily Vishnu-smriti invocation before japa/puja.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Vishnu as Avyakta-Ananta-Anadi-Nidhana (Dhyana-stuti lakshana)","lookup_keywords":["Vishnu-dhyana","avyakta","ananta","aparajita","anadi-nidhana"],"quick_summary":"Defines Vishnu for contemplation as unmanifest, infinite, unconquered, beginningless and endless, and all-pervading. Useful as a mental icon (bhavana) to stabilize meditation and devotion."}
Alamkara Type: Visheshana-mala (epithet-chain); Anuprasa (soft alliteration)
Concept: Nirguna-brahma-lakshana applied to Vishnu: avyakta, ananta, anadi-nidhana, vibhu; the Lord as inner object of citta.
Application: Use the epithets as a dhyana-krama: inwardly place the Lord in mind, negate limitation (ananta), negate defeat (aparajita), and rest in all-pervasion (vibhu).
Khanda Section: Stotra-Mantra (Vishnu-smriti / Dhyana and Praise)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A meditative devotee with closed eyes visualizing an unbounded, luminous Vishnu presence filling the cosmos; emphasis on formless infinity rather than detailed iconography.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style: seated yogi in padmasana, subtle blue aura suggesting Vishnu’s all-pervasion, cosmic lotus motifs, restrained iconographic hints (shankha-chakra as faint symbols), warm earthy palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: central radiant mandala with gold leaf, a serene Vishnu presence suggested by symbolic shankha-chakra-gada-padma around a luminous void, devotee at bottom in namaskara, rich reds and greens.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: instructional dhyana scene—devotee seated, thought-bubble/halo showing infinite expanse with Vishnu symbols, fine linework, soft shading, calm temple interior.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: contemplative scholar-devotee in a quiet chamber, delicate cloud-like aureole representing the unmanifest infinite, calligraphic Sanskrit verse panel, subdued blues and gold accents."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चित्तस्थम्+ईशम्→चित्तस्थमीशम्; अव्यक्तम्+अनन्तम्+अपराजितम्→अव्यक्तमनन्तमपराजितम्; विष्णुम्+ईड्यम्→विष्णुमीड्यम्; अनादि+निधनम्→अनादिनिधनम् (समास)
Related Themes: Agni Purana Vishnu-smriti/stotra sections in the same khanda (172.4–172.7); Agni Purana dhyana-stuti and nama-lakshana passages elsewhere in stotra-mantra portions
FAQs
It teaches a dhyāna-oriented stuti: mentally स्थापित (cittastha) contemplation and verbal praise of Vishnu’s theological attributes (avyakta, ananta, aparājita) as a practical devotional method.
Alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and arts, the Agni Purana also preserves concise theological and meditative formulae—here, a doctrinally dense Vishnu-stuti used for devotion and contemplation.
Praising and meditating on Vishnu as beginningless, endless, and all-pervading is presented as a purifying practice that steadies the mind and strengthens bhakti, supporting merit (puṇya) and inner clarity.