Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 2
Gaṇeśa-pūjā-vidhiḥ
The Procedure for Worship of Gaṇeśa
गजकर्णिने च शिखा गजवक्त्राय वर्म च महोदराय स्वदन्तहस्तायाक्षि तथास्त्रकम्
gajakarṇine ca śikhā gajavaktrāya varma ca mahodarāya svadantahastāyākṣi tathāstrakam
لِـ«غَجَكَرْنِين» (ذو أُذُنَي الفيل) تُعيَّن الشِّخا śikhā (خصلة التاج). ولِـ«غَجَوَكْتْرَ» (ذو وجه الفيل) يُعيَّن الفَرْمَ varma (الدِّرع). ولِـ«مَهُودَرَ» (عظيم البطن) تُعيَّن العينان (akṣi)؛ وكذلك يُعيَّن مَنْترا السلاح astra لِـ«سْفَدَنْتَهَسْتَ» (الذي تمسك يده نابَه).
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Protective nyāsa/kavaca in Gaṇeśa-pūjā: assigning specific mantra-names to body-parts (śikhā, varma, akṣi, astra) to seal and safeguard the sādhaka before worship and japa.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Gaṇeśa-kavaca aṅga-nyāsa (Gajakarṇin–Gajavaktra–Mahodara–Svadantahasta)","lookup_keywords":["nyasa","kavaca","Gajakarṇin","Gajavaktra","Mahodara"],"quick_summary":"Map Gaṇeśa’s epithets to specific aṅgas: śikhā, armor, eyes, and astra-mantra, creating a ritual ‘protective body’ prior to pūjā."}
Concept: Devatā-aṅga-sambandha: the deity’s names are installed as living protections on the practitioner’s body.
Application: Use nyāsa to cultivate steadiness, remove fear/obstacles, and ritually qualify oneself for mantra-japa and pūjā.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Mantra-nyasa (Ganesha-related protective nyasa and kavaca elements)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sādhaka performs Gaṇeśa aṅga-nyāsa: touching crown-tuft, chest as armor, eyes, and projecting an astra-seal, while visualizing Gaṇeśa with elephant ears/face, large belly, and tusk in hand.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm earthy palette, Gaṇeśa with broad gaja-karṇa and gaja-vaktra, mahodara, holding broken tusk; priest in white performing nyāsa gestures to śikhā, chest, eyes; sacred yantra lines faintly behind; flat iconic composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Gaṇeśa seated with mahodara, ornate crown, broken tusk in hand; gold foil highlights on jewelry and halo; devotee at side touching head and chest in nyāsa; rich red background, temple lamp glow.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean linework showing stepwise nyāsa: labeled body points (śikhā, varma, akṣi, astra) in subtle Sanskrit callouts; Gaṇeśa icon at top; soft pastel wash and delicate ornamentation.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate indoor shrine scene: devotee performing precise hand-gestures to head, chest, eyes; small Gaṇeśa idol with elephant features and tusk; detailed textiles, manuscript on a low stand, fine brushwork."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"protective","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्वदन्तहस्तायाक्षि = स्वदन्तहस्ताय + अक्षि; तथास्त्रकम् = तथा + अस्त्रकम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purāṇa 71 (pūjā-vidhi, nyāsa, kavaca context)
FAQs
It teaches a nyāsa-style assignment of protective limbs/placements (śikhā, varma/kavaca, eyes, and astra-mantra) to specific epithets of Gaṇeśa used in worship for protection and sealing the rite.
Beyond myth, the Agni Purana preserves practical ritual technology—mantra-nyāsa, kavaca concepts, and deity-epithet mapping—showing it functions as a compact manual of applied worship alongside its many other disciplines.
Nyāsa and the astra-seal are intended to sanctify the body as a mantra-seat, establish protective boundaries (kavaca), and remove obstacles—thereby supporting purity, steadiness in worship, and auspicious results.