Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 33
Explanation of the Vāsudeva and Related Mantras (वासुदेवादिमन्त्रनिरूपणम्)
देहे शिरोललाटास्यहृन्नाभिगुह्यजानुषु पादयोश् च दशात्मायं इन्द्रो व्यापी समास्थितः
dehe śirolalāṭāsyahṛnnābhiguhyajānuṣu pādayoś ca daśātmāyaṃ indro vyāpī samāsthitaḥ
দেহে—শির, ললাট, মুখ, হৃদয়, নাভি, গুহ্য, জানু ও পাদে—সর্বব্যাপী ইন্দ্র দশাত্মা রূপে অধিষ্ঠিত।
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Cosmology","practical_application":"Conduct devatā-nyāsa by installing Indra as the pervading presence across ten bodily stations (head through feet), supporting protective, sovereignty, and pervasion visualization in worship.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Indra as Daśātman: Body-Locus Devatā-Nyāsa","lookup_keywords":["indra-nyāsa","daśātman","aṅga-nyāsa","vyāpī","deha-mandala"],"quick_summary":"Indra is contemplated as all-pervading and tenfold, stationed at head, forehead, mouth, heart, navel, genital region, knees, and feet. The instruction turns the body into a deity-field for ritual efficacy and inner protection."}
Weapon Type: Vajra
Concept: Deity-pervasion (vyāpti) is realized through systematic installation across the body, collapsing outer deity and inner locus into one field.
Application: Use the locus sequence as a protective ‘kavaca’ before pūjā, travel, or demanding rites; maintain awareness of Indra at heart/navel/feet to steady courage and groundedness.
Khanda Section: Yoga–Tantra / Devatā-nyāsa (Internal placement of deities in the body)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A human figure with ten highlighted stations from head to feet, each glowing with Indra’s presence; Indra’s vajra and royal insignia appear as a subtle aura overlaying the body.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, full-body figure with ten luminous nodes, faint Indra overlay holding vajra, rich reds/greens, temple mural symmetry, Sanskrit labels at head/forehead/mouth/heart/navel/guhya/knees/feet","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Indra with vajra and gold crown superimposed over a devotee’s body silhouette, gold-highlighted loci, ornate arch and heavy gold work, deep blue background","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, didactic deity-nyāsa chart: body outline with numbered loci, small Indra icon with vajra at side, clean annotations, soft palette and fine detailing","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, allegorical scene: Indra as a translucent regal figure pervading a yogin, ten points marked with tiny jeweled medallions, intricate borders and textiles"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शिरोललाटास्यहृन्नाभिगुह्यजानुषु = शिरः + ललाट + आस्य + हृत् + नाभि + गुह्य + जानुषु (enumerative compound-like sandhi); पादयोश् च = पादयोः + च; दशात्मायं = दशात्मा + अयम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 25.30 (nyāsa loci: śikhā, forehead, face, heart, soles); Agni Purana 25.31 (lower-loci mapping); Agni Purana 25.32 (hand/finger nyāsa)
FAQs
It teaches deha-devatā-nyāsa: a practical internal installation/meditative mapping where Indra is contemplated as present at specific bodily loci for ritualized concentration and subtle-body alignment.
Alongside narratives, the Agni Purāṇa preserves applied ritual-technology—nyāsa and internal visualization—showing it functions as a manual of yoga-tantra practices as well as a Purāṇic text.
By installing and contemplating the deity within the body, the practitioner sacralizes the embodied self, steadies the mind, and supports purification and focused worship, which are traditionally held to enhance merit and inner clarity.