Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 28
Chapter 303: Mantras for Worship Beginning with the Five-syllable (Pañcākṣara) — पञ्चाक्षरादिपूजामन्त्राः
एकरुद्रं त्रिनेत्रञ्च श्रीकण्ठञ्च शिखण्डिनम् ऐशान्यादिविदिक्ष्वेते विद्येशाः कमलासनाः
ekarudraṃ trinetrañca śrīkaṇṭhañca śikhaṇḍinam aiśānyādividikṣvete vidyeśāḥ kamalāsanāḥ
Ekarudra, Trinetra, Śrīkaṇṭha y Śikhaṇḍin: estos Vidyeśas, sentados en tronos de loto, están situados en las direcciones intermedias comenzando por el noreste (Aiśānya).
Lord Agni (narrating the ritual/nyāsa schema to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Placement of Vidyeśa forms in intermediate directions (vidik) for maṇḍala construction, dikpāla-style guarding, and correct ritual visualization.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Vidyeśa in Vidik: Ekarudra, Trinetra, Śrīkaṇṭha, Śikhaṇḍin (Aiśānya onward)","lookup_keywords":["Vidyeśa","Aiśānya","Ekarudra","Trinetra","Śrīkaṇṭha Śikhaṇḍin","vidik lotus-seat"],"quick_summary":"Enumerates specific Vidyeśa deities and fixes their stations in the intermediate directions beginning with the north-east, each visualized seated on a lotus throne."}
Concept: Knowledge (vidyā) is personified as Vidyeśas who stabilize the ritual cosmos when installed in correct spatial order.
Application: In maṇḍala drawing or temple niche planning, assign these forms to the intermediate directions to ‘seal’ the space.
Khanda Section: Isana-kalpa / Shiva-tantric Devata-Vinyasa (Dikpala–Vidyesha enumeration)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Sacred-direction
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A mandala with four intermediate-direction lotus thrones, each occupied by a named Vidyeśa: Ekarudra, Trinetra, Śrīkaṇṭha, Śikhaṇḍin, starting from the north-east.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, square maṇḍala with diagonal (vidik) lotus seats, each deity labeled, Trinetra clearly three-eyed, Śrīkaṇṭha with auspicious throat mark, rich flat colors and temple border patterns.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, four diagonal medallions with lotus seats and jeweled Vidyeśas, gold leaf halos, central sanctum implied, strong symmetry and ornamentation.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, diagrammatic yet elegant: compass-rose with NE/SE/SW/NW, lotus icons, deities rendered with clear identifying features, instructional clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, geometric garden-like mandala with diagonal pavilions as lotus thrones, each Vidyeśa seated, fine detailing and calligraphic direction captions."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: trinetrañ ca = trinetram ca (anusvāra/ñ before c). aiśānyādividikṣv ete = aiśānyādi-vidikṣu ete (kṣu + e sandhi).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 303 (dik/vidik devatā-vinyāsa lists)
FAQs
It gives a nyāsa-style directional placement: specific Vidyeśa forms of Rudra (Ekarudra, Trinetra, Śrīkaṇṭha, Śikhaṇḍin) are to be mentally installed/recognized in the intermediate directions beginning with Aiśānya (north-east).
Beyond mythology, it preserves a practical Shaiva ritual map—linking named deity-forms to precise spatial directions—showing the text’s catalog-like coverage of temple/puja procedure, mantra-deity taxonomy, and tantric cosmography.
Correctly aligning deity-forms with their prescribed directions is held to stabilize the rite, remove directional obstacles (dik-doṣa), and support purity, protection, and mantra-siddhi through orderly cosmic placement.