Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 5
Tvaritā-pūjā (The Worship of Tvaritā) — Transition Verse and Context
धनुः पाशं शरं घण्टां तर्जनींशङ्खमङ्कुशम् अभयञ्च तथा वर्जं वामपार्श्वे धृतायुधम्
dhanuḥ pāśaṃ śaraṃ ghaṇṭāṃ tarjanīṃśaṅkhamaṅkuśam abhayañca tathā varjaṃ vāmapārśve dhṛtāyudham
বাওঁ পাৰ্শ্বত ধাৰিত আয়ুধ/উপকৰণ হিচাপে ধনু, পাশ, শৰ, ঘণ্টা, তর্জনী-মুদ্ৰা, শঙ্খ, অঙ্কুশ, অভয়-মুদ্ৰা আৰু বজ্ৰো দেখুৱাব লাগে।
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Left-hand āyudha/mudrā specification for tantric dhyāna and for completing bilateral iconographic symmetry in Devi images.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Left-Side Implements and Mudrās in Īśāna-kalpa Devī Dhyāna","lookup_keywords":["īśāna-kalpa","dhanuḥ","pāśa","ghaṇṭā","aṅkuśa","abhaya","vajra"],"quick_summary":"Enumerates the left-side held items: bow, noose, arrow, bell, tarjanī gesture, conch, goad, abhaya gesture, and vajra. Serves as a dhyāna checklist and iconographic template."}
Weapon Type: Bow, arrow, noose, goad, vajra (as weapon-symbol)
Concept: Tantric visualization integrates āyudha (force), mudrā (command), and śaṅkha/ghaṇṭā (ritual sound) as a single sādhanā-technology.
Application: During pūjā/dhyāna, mentally place each implement in the correct hand; artisans mirror this to avoid iconographic inconsistency between right/left sets.
Khanda Section: Isana-kalpa (Tantric iconography and deity-dhyana/puja-vidhi)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Multi-armed Goddess with left-side hands clearly holding bow, noose, arrow, bell, conch, goad, vajra; one hand in tarjanī gesture and one in abhaya gesture; balanced against right-side weapons.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: left-side arms emphasized with dhanuḥ-pāśa-śara-ghaṇṭā-śaṅkha-aṅkuśa-vajra; distinct tarjanī and abhaya mudrās; strong outlines, sacred red background, radiant halo.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: gold-highlighted conch and bell, jeweled vajra; left-side implements arranged in a readable arc; embossed ornaments; temple arch and lotus pedestal.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional rendering of mudrās—tarjanī and abhaya clearly differentiated; soft pastel palette; precise depiction of bowstring, noose loop, bell clapper.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: fine detailing of bell and conch, elegant hands showing tarjanī and abhaya; delicate shading; patterned textiles; symmetrical composition with left-side attribute focus."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Tōḍī","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tarjanīṃśaṅkhamaṅkuśam resolved as tarjanīm + śaṅkham + aṅkuśam; abhayañca = abhayam + ca; dhṛtāyudham = dhṛta-āyudham; 'varjaṃ' reading uncertain (often vajraṃ).
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Mantra-nyāsa and dhyāna components in the Mantra/Tantra khāṇḍa; Agni Purana: Adjacent āyudha lists (309.4–309.6) completing the full set
FAQs
It gives murti-lakṣaṇa (iconographic specification) for dhyāna/arcana: which implements and mudrās should be shown on the deity’s left side for correct visualization and installation.
Beyond myth, it preserves practical temple-ritual technology—standardizing deity attributes (āyudha) and gestures (mudrā) used in tantra-informed pūjā, sculpture, and consecration manuals.
Correctly contemplating and worshipping the deity with proper attributes and abhaya-mudrā is held to align the rite with śāstra, strengthening protection (rakṣā), removal of fear/obstacles, and the intended merit of the worship.