Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 12
Chapter 23 — पूजाविधिकथनम्
The Account of the Rules of Worship
कूर्मं पीठे ह्य् अनन्तञ्च यमं सूर्यादिमण्डलं पाठः स्वकामान् दाहयेत् सुधीः इति ख, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः स्वकमाह्लादयेत् सुधीरिति ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः स्थलं तेन तु संसिच्य हस्ते ध्यात्वा हरिं पठेदिति ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकपाठः पद्ममिति ख, ग, ङ, चिह्नितपुस्तकत्रयपाठः विमलाद्याः केशरस्थानुग्रहा कर्णिका स्थिता
kūrmaṃ pīṭhe hy anantañca yamaṃ sūryādimaṇḍalaṃ pāṭhaḥ svakāmān dāhayet sudhīḥ iti kha, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ svakamāhlādayet sudhīriti ṅa, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ sthalaṃ tena tu saṃsicya haste dhyātvā hariṃ paṭhediti ṅa, cihnitapustakapāṭhaḥ padmamiti kha, ga, ṅa, cihnitapustakatrayapāṭhaḥ vimalādyāḥ keśarasthānugrahā karṇikā sthitā
Auf dem rituellen Sitz soll man Kūrma (die Schildkröte) und Ananta (Śeṣa) sowie das Sonnen‑Maṇḍala und andere Maṇḍalas vergegenwärtigen. Nach einer Lesart verbrennt eine solche Rezitation die begehrten weltlichen Ziele; nach einer anderen erfreut und erfüllt sie die Wünsche des weisen Übenden. Nachdem man den Boden damit (Wasser/Ritus) besprengt und Hari in der Hand meditiert hat, soll man das Mantra rezitieren. Sodann ist der Lotus (padma) zu kontemplieren: Vimalā und die anderen weilen am Ort der Staubfäden, und die karṇikā (das Zentrum) ist in der Mitte gegründet.
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Dhyāna-krama for the ritual seat: visualize Kūrma and Ananta as supports, then solar/other maṇḍalas; consecrate the ground by sprinkling; meditate on Hari in the hand (kara-dhyāna) and recite; then lotus-maṇḍala with attendant śaktis (Vimalā etc.) in filaments and center.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Kūrma–Ananta support, maṇḍala-dhyāna, and padma-āvaraṇa (Vimalā etc.)","lookup_keywords":["kurma","ananta-sesha","surya-mandala","padma-mandala","vimala"],"quick_summary":"The seat is visualized as cosmic support (tortoise and Śeṣa), empowered by mandalas; after sprinkling and mantra-recitation with Hari contemplated in the hand, the lotus is installed with Vimalā and related powers in the filaments and the pericarp at the center."}
Concept: Ritual efficacy is grounded in correct visualization (ādhāra → maṇḍala → mantra → āvaraṇa). Variant readings (burning desires vs fulfilling them) frame desire as either to be purified or ritually redirected.
Application: Choose intention: (1) japa as kāma-dāha (desire-burning) for vairāgya, or (2) japa as kāma-siddhi within dharma; keep the same visualization sequence to stabilize mind and rite.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Yantra–Mandala–Dhyana / Tantric Visualization)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A consecrated ritual space: a tortoise and coiled Ananta beneath a luminous lotus-mandala; solar disc mandala above; a sādhaka sprinkling water, then holding the right hand in mantra-gesture with Hari visualized in the palm; lotus filaments labeled with Vimalā etc., center pericarp shining.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, bold outlines: cosmic tortoise under a coiled serpent-bed, radiant Surya mandala, large pink lotus with labeled śaktis on filaments, priest performing prokṣaṇa with water vessel, warm lamp glow","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-leaf haloed Surya mandala, jeweled lotus throne, embossed serpent coils of Ananta, ornate kalasha and sprinkling spoon, Hari symbol in the palm, rich reds and greens","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style instructional plate: layered diagram (Kūrma base, Ananta coils, mandalas, lotus with kesara/karṇikā), side vignette of hand-meditation (kara-dhyāna) and mantra recitation","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: a ritualist in a pavilion with a painted mandala floor, delicate depiction of tortoise and serpent as symbolic underlay, sun-disc medallion, fine calligraphy labels for Vimalā etc."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"mystic","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ह्य् = हि; अनन्तञ्च = अनन्तम् + च; सूर्यादिमण्डलम् = सूर्य + आदि + मण्डलम्; स्वकामान् = स्व + कामान्; सुधीरिति = सुधीः + इति; संसिच्य = सम् + सिच् + क्त्वा; पठेदिति = पठेत् + इति; विमलाद्याः = विमल + आद्याः; केशरस्थानुग्रहाः = केशर + स्थान + अनुग्रहाः. Verse contains extensive critical-apparatus phrases; treated as padas where present.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 23 (maṇḍala-dhyāna, kara-dhyāna, āvaraṇa/lotus placements)
FAQs
It teaches mandala-based worship: visualizing cosmic supports (Kūrma, Ananta), arranging solar/directional mandalas, consecrating the site by sprinkling, performing hand-based dhyāna/nyāsa of Hari, and installing deities in a lotus (padma) diagram (filaments and central karṇikā).
It preserves a compact manual of applied ritual technology—mandala geometry, deity placement, variants of recensional readings, and practical steps (sprinkling, visualization, recitation)—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage beyond mythology into procedural liturgy and tantric-adjacent ritual science.
The practice is presented as transformative: depending on the reading, it either burns up attachment to personal desires (purificatory effect) or fulfils/gladdens rightful aims, while centering devotion on Hari through disciplined visualization and mantra.