Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 3
Chapter 22 — स्नानविधिकथनं
Instruction on the Rite of Bathing
हृदि ध्यायन् हरिज्ञानं मन्त्रेणाष्टाक्षरेण हि त्रिधा पाणितले मृत्स्नां दिग्बन्धं सिंहजप्ततः
hṛdi dhyāyan harijñānaṃ mantreṇāṣṭākṣareṇa hi tridhā pāṇitale mṛtsnāṃ digbandhaṃ siṃhajaptataḥ
হৃদয়ে হরি (বিষ্ণু)-র ত্রাণদায়ক জ্ঞান ধ্যান করে, অষ্টাক্ষর মন্ত্রে তিনবার করতলে মৃৎ গ্রহণ করতে হবে। ‘সিংহ’ মন্ত্রে জপিত সেই মৃৎ দ্বারা রক্ষার্থ দিগ্বন্ধ (দিক-বন্ধন) করতে হবে।
Lord Agni (in dialogue tradition, teaching sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Teaches digbandhana (direction-binding protective enclosure) using Siṃha-japa-charged earth taken thrice in the palm, while meditating on Hari’s saving knowledge and employing the aṣṭākṣara mantra.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Digbandhana with Siṃha-japta Mṛtsnā and Aṣṭākṣara Hari-mantra","lookup_keywords":["digbandha","aṣṭākṣara","Hari-jñāna","siṃha-japa","mṛtsnā"],"quick_summary":"Meditate on Hari within the heart and use the eight-syllabled mantra; take clay/earth in the palm three times and, empowered by Siṃha-japa, establish a protective boundary sealing the directions."}
Concept: Protection is both contemplative (Hari-jñāna in the heart) and operative (mantra-charged acts sealing space).
Application: Before pūjā/japa, perform digbandhana by mantra-charging earth and ritually sealing the quarters, while maintaining Hari-smṛti through the aṣṭākṣara.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Mantra-nyasa, Digbandhana, Protective rites)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee stands facing the quarters, palm holding clay three times, tracing an invisible boundary around the ritual space; a lion-symbol and the aṣṭākṣara mantra glow subtly as protective forces while Hari is visualized in the heart-lotus.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, devotee performing digbandhana with clay in palm, stylized compass-like quarters around, lion emblem behind, subtle lotus at chest indicating Hari-dhyāna, bold outlines and earthy colors","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, devotee with raised palm holding clay, gold-leaf ring encircling the space as digbandha, lion motif and aṣṭākṣara glyphs in gold, ornate borders","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, diagrammatic yet traditional: eight directions indicated, devotee taking clay thrice, chest-lotus with Hari symbol, fine linework for instructional precision","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtyard ritual space with faint circular boundary, devotee holding clay, delicate calligraphy of aṣṭākṣara near the figure, lion motif on a small banner, detailed architecture"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: mantreṇāṣṭākṣareṇa = mantreṇa + aṣṭa-akṣareṇa; digbandhaṃ = dig-bandham; siṃhajaptataḥ analyzed as siṃha-japta-taḥ (ablative used adverbially).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 22 (rakṣā and snāna-vidhi context); Agni Purana 21 (mantra-japa preliminaries; praṇava usage)
FAQs
It teaches a protective rite (digbandha): meditate on Hari, employ the Aṣṭākṣara mantra, and charge ritual earth in the palm three times (with siṃha-japa) to seal the quarters and create a guarded ritual space.
Beyond mythic narration, it preserves precise, operational ritual instructions—mantra selection, material use (mṛtsnā), and a standardized protective technique (digbandha)—showing the Agni Purana as a manual of applied religious practice.
By invoking Hari through the Aṣṭākṣara and ritually sealing the directions, the practitioner aims to remove obstacles, prevent impurity or interference, and establish a sanctified, protected field for worship and mantra-sādhanā.