Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 35
The Description of the Sarvatobhadra Maṇḍala (सर्वतोभद्रमण्डलकथनम्)
ततोपि पङ्क्तिं सम्मृज्य तद्वत् षोडशभद्रकं लिखित्वा परितः पङ्क्तिं विमृज्याथ प्रकल्पयेत् संशुद्धभूततन्मात्रः सकामो योगमभ्यसन् अणिमादिमवाप्नोति विरक्तः प्रविलङ्घ्य च देवात्मके भूतमात्रान्मुच्यते चेन्द्रियग्रहात्
tatopi paṅktiṃ sammṛjya tadvat ṣoḍaśabhadrakaṃ likhitvā paritaḥ paṅktiṃ vimṛjyātha prakalpayet saṃśuddhabhūtatanmātraḥ sakāmo yogamabhyasan aṇimādimavāpnoti viraktaḥ pravilaṅghya ca devātmake bhūtamātrānmucyate cendriyagrahāt
Luego, tras limpiar de nuevo la línea, debe trazarse igualmente el bhadraka de dieciséis partes; habiendo limpiado la línea que lo rodea, debe disponerse la práctica conforme al rito. Cuando los elementos y sus tanmātras (esencias sutiles) han sido purificados, el practicante que ejercita el yoga con deseo de frutos obtiene los siddhis que comienzan con aṇimā (minuciosidad). Pero quien es desapegado, trascendiendo incluso esos logros, queda liberado de la mera condición elemental—aunque sea de naturaleza divina—y del dominio de los sentidos.
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the common Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Two-track sādhanā guidance: (1) sakāma yoga leading to aṇimā etc. after bhūta-tanmātra purification; (2) vairāgya-based transcendence of siddhis toward liberation from sensory grasp and elemental limitation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Ṣoḍaśa-bhadraka Yantra; Bhūta–Tanmātra-Śuddhi, Siddhi (Aṇimā) and Vairāgya-Mokṣa","lookup_keywords":["ṣoḍaśa bhadraka","tanmātra śuddhi","aṇimā siddhi","sakāma yoga","vairāgya mokṣa"],"quick_summary":"After constructing the sixteenfold bhadraka and purifying elements and tanmātras, desire-driven practice yields siddhis beginning with aṇimā. Dispassionate practice transcends siddhis and frees one from sensory capture and elemental conditioning, even when those elements are conceived as divine."}
Alamkara Type: Virodha/Antithesis (sakāma-siddhi vs virakta-mokṣa)
Concept: Siddhis are contingent fruits of purified subtle elements; vairāgya surpasses them, dissolving identification with bhūta/tanmātra and loosening indriya-graha (sensory seizure).
Application: If siddhis arise, treat them as by-products; maintain dispassion, reduce sense-indulgence, and continue purification/meditation aimed at freedom rather than display or control.
Khanda Section: Yoga-siddhi & Yantra-lekhana (Puja-vidhi / Tantric-dhyana ancillary practice)
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sixteenfold bhadraka yantra freshly drawn and cleaned; a yogin in meditation with subtle elemental symbols dissolving into finer tanmātras. One panel shows siddhis (aṇimā: tiny luminous form); another shows the same yogin serene, stepping beyond powers, senses depicted as loosened chains.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural diptych: left, yantra and yogin with miniature glowing figure (aṇimā) and elemental icons; right, yogin in deep śānta, senses as subdued motifs, elements dissolving into light, bold outlines and sacred palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central yogin over gold-embellished ṣoḍaśa-bhadraka, left side showing siddhi symbols with gold radiance, right side showing renunciate serenity with subdued tones and a large golden aura of liberation","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional narrative: draw-clean yantra, purify bhūta/tanmātra, branch to sakāma siddhi vs virakta mokṣa, clear iconographic labels, refined shading","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, narrative scene with two registers: courtly fascination with yogic power (tiny form) contrasted with ascetic withdrawal, delicate rendering of dissolving elemental motifs and softened sensory imagery"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Darbari Kanada","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tato’pi → tataḥ + api; vimṛjyātha → vimṛjya + atha; aṇimādimavāpnoti → aṇimādim + avāpnoti; bhūtamātrānmucyate → bhūta-mātrāt + mucyate; cendriyagrahāt → ca + indriya-grahāt.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 29.34 (prāṇa-jaya; japa-dhyāna); Agni Purana 29.33 (nāḍī/prāṇa context supporting yoga)
FAQs
It teaches a diagram-based yogic procedure: cleanse the drawing space, inscribe a ṣoḍaśa-bhadraka (sixteenfold auspicious yantra/mandala), and proceed with the prescribed arrangement as part of a purification-led yoga practice.
It blends practical ritual-technical instruction (yantra/diagram preparation and procedural cleanliness) with yogic theory (bhūta–tanmātra purification, siddhis, and liberation), showing how the Agni Purana integrates ritual technology, psychology of perception, and soteriology in one continuum.
It distinguishes two outcomes: desire-driven yoga yields siddhis like aṇimā, while dispassionate practice transcends siddhis and frees one from sensory bondage and identification with mere elemental existence, pointing toward mokṣa-oriented vairāgya.