Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 23
Explanation of the Vāsudeva and Related Mantras (वासुदेवादिमन्त्रनिरूपणम्)
आकाशं व्यापकं न्यस्य करे देहे तु पूर्ववत् अङ्गुलीषु च वाय्वादि शिरोहृद्गुह्यपादके
ākāśaṃ vyāpakaṃ nyasya kare dehe tu pūrvavat aṅgulīṣu ca vāyvādi śirohṛdguhyapādake
হাতে সর্বব্যাপী আকাশের ন্যাস করে, দেহেও পূর্ববৎ স্থাপন করবে। আঙুলে বায়ু প্রভৃতি তত্ত্ব, এবং শির, হৃদয়, গুহ্যস্থান ও পায়ে সেগুলিরও বিন্যাস করবে।
Lord Agni (in instruction to Sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Bhūta-śuddhi and kara–aṅga nyāsa: purifying and stabilizing the body as a five-element mandala, sealing key centers (head, heart, guhyā, feet) for ritual readiness and protection.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Bhūta-nyāsa: Ākāśa in Hand/Body; Vāyu-ādi in Fingers; Sealing Head–Heart–Guhya–Feet","lookup_keywords":["bhuta-shuddhi","akasha-nyasa","pancha-bhuta","guhya","anga-nyasa"],"quick_summary":"Install all-pervading Ākāśa on the hand and then the body; place Vāyu and the remaining elements on the fingers, and seal the placements at head, heart, secret region, and feet to complete elemental purification."}
Concept: Body as microcosm of elements; purification occurs by re-installing elemental principles in correct loci, culminating in protective sealing of vital centers.
Application: Perform before deity-nyāsa/japa to reduce distraction, cultivate groundedness, and maintain ritual boundaries (rakṣā) through center-sealing.
Khanda Section: Pūjā-vidhi / Tantra-nyāsa (Bhūta-śuddhi and Kara–Aṅga-nyāsa)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Elemental purification ritual: Ākāśa as a vast blue space installed in palm and body; fingers each bearing symbols of Vāyu and other elements; luminous seals at head, heart, secret region, and feet forming a protective circuit.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, figure with palm showing deep-blue space (ākāśa), fingers marked with wind/flame/water/earth motifs, four glowing seal points at head-heart-guhya-feet, geometric mandala backdrop, traditional bold palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, heavy gold embossing for seal points, palm with dark sapphire inlay effect for ākāśa, fingers with elemental emblems in gold, ornate border, devotional symmetry and rich colors.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, instructional depiction with clear elemental icons on fingers, a soft blue aura for ākāśa across body, highlighted seal points at head/heart/guhya/feet, clean composition for learning.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, delicate figure with subtle translucent overlays: starry blue ākāśa in palm and around body, small elemental symbols on fingertips, four seal lights, refined interior setting, fine brushwork."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Malkauns","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: न्यस्य = क्त्वान्त; वाय्वादि = वायु-आदि; शिरोहृद्गुह्यपादके = शिरः-हृद्-गुह्य-पादके.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 25.20-25.22 (progression from deity-nyāsa to Veda-nyāsa); Agni Purana 24-25 (contextual adhyātma and pūjā-vidhi continuum, where applicable)
FAQs
It teaches pañca-bhūta-nyāsa within pūjā/śādhana: installing Ākāśa on the hand and body, and placing Vāyu and the other elements on the fingers and key bodily stations (head, heart, secret region, feet) to ritually purify and empower the practitioner.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purāṇa preserves practical liturgical technology—precise nyāsa mapping (kara/aṅga placement) used in temple worship and mantra-sādhana—showing its coverage of ritual procedure alongside other sciences.
Elemental nyāsa functions as inner purification (bhūta-śuddhi), aligning the body as a fit vessel for worship; it is held to remove ritual impurity, stabilize concentration, and make mantra-recitation more efficacious.