Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 23
Tvaritā-pūjā (The Worship of Tvaritā) — Transition Verse and Context
छे छेदनि करालिनि खखेति च कराल्यपि वक्षःश्रवद्रवप्लवनी ख ख दूतीप्लवं ख्यपि
che chedani karālini khakheti ca karālyapi vakṣaḥśravadravaplavanī kha kha dūtīplavaṃ khyapi
«Che!» يا قاطِعات (chedanī)، يا مُروِّعة (karālinī)، يا Khakhetī—وكذلك يا الإلهة المُهيبة Karālī! يا من تُفيض السائل الجاري من الصدر وتجعله يطغى كموج (vakṣaḥ-śravad-drava-plavanī)! «kha kha!»—وكذلك ليقع “الفيضان/الاستيلاء” لروح الرسول (dūtī-plavam)، و«khy» أيضًا.
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana narrator) instructing sage Vasiṣṭha (contextual attribution for this section)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Apotropaic (protective) syllabic-mantra recitation for warding off hostile forces, binding/overpowering a dūtī (messenger-spirit), and energizing a protective enclosure around the practitioner or target.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Mantra","entry_title":"Karālinī–Chedanī protective syllabic-mantra (dūtī-plava formula)","lookup_keywords":["chedanī","karālinī","dūtī-plava","vakṣaḥ-śravad-drava","kha kha"],"quick_summary":"A fierce, syllable-heavy protective mantra invoking cutting/terrifying śaktis and a ‘flooding/overpowering’ (plava) of the dūtī; used as a warding and subjugating formula in tantric protection rites."}
Alamkara Type: Anuprāsa (phonetic repetition) and Yamaka-like syllabic echoing (kha kha; che/cheda).
Concept: Varṇa (syllable) as śakti: protective efficacy is carried by sound-forms and invoked devatā-names/epithets.
Application: Correct pronunciation, repetition (japa), and ritual intent (saṅkalpa) are treated as the operative mechanism for protection/subjugation.
Khanda Section: Tantra / Mantra-vidya (Protective syllabic-mantras and duti/karalini formulae)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A fierce protective rite: the practitioner recites harsh syllables before a terrifying goddess-form; waves of energy ‘flood’ outward, symbolically overpowering a messenger-spirit (dūtī).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, ugra devī (Karālī/Karālinī) with flaming aura, wide eyes, dynamic posture, mantra syllables as stylized script around her, dark red and ochre palette, ritualist in foreground chanting.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central fierce goddess with gold halo and embossed ornaments, stylized flames, mantra syllables ‘kha kha’ and ‘che’ in decorative borders, protective aura encircling the devotee.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean linework, instructional composition: practitioner seated with rosary, yantra-like circle showing ‘dūtī-plava’ as concentric waves, subdued colors with fine detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly yet dramatic scene: a siddha reciting in a chamber, translucent energy-waves flooding toward a small spirit-messenger figure, fine calligraphy-like mantra glyphs, detailed textiles and lamps."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"apotropaic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"fast","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कराल्यपि → कराली + अपि (य्-आगम/सन्धि). ख्यपि in IAST treated as खि + अपि (mantric syllable + particle).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 309.24 (dūtī-nāma/lakṣaṇa lists); Agni Purana 309.25 (protective ‘pūṭe pūṭe’, phaṭ, sword-application); Agni Purana 309.26 (nyāsa/vinyāsa placement rules)
FAQs
This verse gives a syllabic-mantra (bīja-heavy) formula invoking fierce śakti-names (Karālī/Karālinī) and sharp phonemes (che, kha, khy) used in protective/repelling rites and forceful ritual applications (abhicāra-style prayoga).
Alongside dharma, polity, medicine, and poetics, the Agni Purana preserves practical mantra-vidyā material—lists of bīja-syllables, deity-epithets, and recitation-forms—showing its coverage of applied ritual technologies, not only narrative theology.
When used in a dhārmic protective intent under proper discipline, such fierce-mantra recitation is framed as removing impediments and warding hostile forces; misapplied, it is traditionally warned to create adverse karmic consequences due to its coercive potency.