Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 39
The Description of the Sarvatobhadra Maṇḍala (सर्वतोभद्रमण्डलकथनम्)
पञ्चविंशतिकव्यूहे परं ब्रह्म यजेत् कजे मध्ये पूर्वादितः पद्मे वासुदेवादयः क्रमात्
pañcaviṃśatikavyūhe paraṃ brahma yajet kaje madhye pūrvāditaḥ padme vāsudevādayaḥ kramāt
En la disposición vyūha de veinticinco, debe adorarse al Brahman Supremo; en el centro del diagrama de loto, comenzando por el pétalo oriental, colóquense y vénérense a Vāsudeva y a los demás en el orden debido.
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Pāñcarātra-style worship arrangement: placing and worshipping the 25-fold vyūha deities on a lotus mandala, starting from the eastern petal with Vāsudeva and proceeding क्रमात्.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Pañcaviṃśatika-vyūha pūjā in padma-maṇḍala (Vāsudevaādi from east)","lookup_keywords":["pañcaviṃśatika vyūha","padma-maṇḍala","Vāsudeva","eastern petal","Pāñcarātra pūjā"],"quick_summary":"Worship the Supreme Brahman through the 25-fold vyūha arrangement. Install Vāsudeva and the subsequent forms on the lotus diagram beginning from the eastern petal in fixed sequence."}
Concept: Saguna-upāsanā as a structured approach to the Supreme (para-brahman) via vyūha-krama and mandala order.
Application: Use the lotus mandala as a ritual map: begin east, proceed in prescribed order to avoid mantra/nyāsa errors and to maintain sampradāyic correctness.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Pancharatra/Vaishnava Vyuhas and Padma-mandala worship)
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A lotus mandala with a central circle labeled ‘Para Brahman’; on the eastern petal sits Vāsudeva, with remaining petals filled by vyūha forms in clockwise order; a priest offers flowers/incense moving petal to petal.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: large stylized lotus mandala, Vāsudeva on the east petal with conch-disc, other vyūhas on petals, priest performing ārati, saturated reds and greens, temple-wall composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central lotus with gold-leaf haloing each petal deity, Vāsudeva richly ornamented, embossed jewelry, lamps and offerings in foreground, opulent devotional finish","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: clean, symmetrical padma diagram with labeled petals, priest shown in profile placing flowers starting east, soft colors, emphasis on sequence and clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: indoor shrine scene with a painted lotus diagram on cloth, priest placing offerings in order, deities depicted as small iconic figures on petals, fine detailing and borders"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Madhyamavati","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पञ्चविंशतिकव्यूहे = पञ्चविंशति-क-व्यूहे; वासुदेवादयः = वासुदेव-आदयः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 29 (padma-maṇḍala and vyūha-nyāsa sequence continuing into 29.40)
FAQs
It teaches a specific mandala-based worship method: arranging and worshipping the twenty-fivefold vyūha deities on a lotus-diagram, starting placement from the eastern petal and proceeding in a fixed sequence.
It preserves a precise, technical pūjā-vidhi (diagram layout, directional sequencing, deity-ordering) associated with Vaiṣṇava/Pañcarātra-style ritual systems—showing the Purana’s coverage beyond mythology into applied liturgy and temple/mandala procedure.
By worshipping the Supreme through a correctly ordered vyūha-mandala, the practitioner aligns devotion with prescribed cosmic order (krama), which is traditionally held to increase ritual efficacy, purification, and the merit (puṇya) of the worship.