Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 22
Chapter 23 — पूजाविधिकथनम्
The Account of the Rules of Worship
हृन्नाभिगुह्यजान्वङ्घ्रौ मध्ये पूर्वादिकं यजेत् एकपीठं नवव्यूहं नवपीठञ्च पूर्ववत्
hṛnnābhiguhyajānvaṅghrau madhye pūrvādikaṃ yajet ekapīṭhaṃ navavyūhaṃ navapīṭhañca pūrvavat
Debe adorarse a las deidades situadas en el corazón, el ombligo, la región secreta, las rodillas y los pies; y en el lugar central debe adorarse comenzando por la dirección oriental y así sucesivamente. Deben adorarse el Asiento único (eka-pīṭha), los nueve Vyūhas (nava-vyūha) y los nueve Asientos (nava-pīṭha) del mismo modo que se indicó antes.
Lord Agni (in dialogue with Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Executing deha-nyāsa and maṇḍala/diśā worship for Viṣṇu’s vyūha-pīṭha system—placing deities at heart, navel, guhya, knees, feet, and then worshipping directional stations and pīṭhas.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Vyuha–Pīṭha Nyāsa: Heart–Navel–Guhya–Knees–Feet and Directional Worship; Eka-pīṭha, Nava-vyūha, Nava-pīṭha","lookup_keywords":["hṛd-nyāsa","nava-vyūha","nava-pīṭha","maṇḍala-pūjā","diśā-yajana"],"quick_summary":"Worship the stationed deities in bodily loci (heart to feet) and then perform central and directional worship, repeating the established method for the single seat, nine vyūhas, and nine seats."}
Concept: Microcosm–macrocosm correspondence: body-loci and directional cosmos unified through maṇḍala worship.
Application: Use fixed loci and diśā-krama to prevent ritual error (doṣa) and to stabilize the āvaraṇa sequence in pūjā.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Vishnu/Vyuha-Pitha Nyasa and Mandala Worship)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual maṇḍala with a central station and eight directions, alongside a yogic body-map showing heart, navel, guhya, knees, and feet marked for deity placements; the worshipper offers in east-first order.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized maṇḍala floor design with eight directions, a calm priest indicating heart-to-feet loci on a symbolic figure, warm earth tones, clear directional markers, sacred geometry emphasis.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, central Viṣṇu radiating ninefold arrangement, gold leaf highlighting the central pīṭha and surrounding seats, devotee performing offerings to east and other directions, ornate symmetry.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional diagram aesthetic: body-loci labels (hṛt, nābhi, guhya, jānu, aṅghri) and a neat ninefold maṇḍala, arrows showing pūrvādi-krama, soft colors and precise linework.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly precision: a square ritual space with directional attendants, central seat emphasized, the practitioner moving clockwise from east, fine calligraphy for pīṭha/vyūha names, delicate geometry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हृन्नाभिगुह्यजान्वङ्घ्रौ = हृत्-नाभि-गुह्य-जानु-अङ्घ्रौ; पूर्वादिकम् = पूर्व-आदिकम्; नवपीठञ्च = नव-पीठम् च.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 23 (preceding ‘pūrvavat’ method for āvaraṇa worship); Agni Purana 24 (kunda/mandala measurements as external counterpart to internal mandala)
FAQs
It teaches a nyāsa-style worship sequence: adorning/worshipping deities at specific bodily loci (heart, navel, groin, knees, feet) and then performing a directions-based (east onward) mandala arrangement for the eka-pīṭha, nine vyūhas, and nine pīṭhas, following the earlier procedure.
It preserves a technical ritual taxonomy (pīṭha and vyūha schemes, body-locus worship, and directional mandala order), showing the text’s compendium-like inclusion of detailed temple/tāntric liturgy alongside its many other disciplines.
By correctly placing worship in body-centers and in the ordered directions, the practitioner aligns the microcosm (body) with the cosmic mandala, aiming at purification, steadiness of mind, and merit through properly performed deity-installation and homage.