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
Auf der linken Seite soll die Gottheit dargestellt werden, wie sie die Waffen/Attribute hält: einen Bogen, eine Schlinge (pāśa), einen Pfeil, eine Glocke, die tarjanī (drohende/weisende Fingergebärde), ein Schneckenhorn (śaṅkha), einen Treibhaken (aṅkuśa), die abhaya-Geste (furchtvertreibend) und auch eine vajra.
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.