Agni Purana — Sahitya-shastra, Shloka 47
Chapter 342: शब्दालङ्काराः
Verbal/Sound-based Ornaments
विश्वग्विषमवर्णानां तावत् पत्राबलीजुषां मध्ये समाक्षरन्यासःसरोजे षोडशच्छदे
viśvagviṣamavarṇānāṃ tāvat patrābalījuṣāṃ madhye samākṣaranyāsaḥsaroje ṣoḍaśacchade
En ese diagrama de loto de dieciséis pétalos, tras colocar las sílabas del mantra en la secuencia de pétalos que portan las diversas y desiguales clases de letras, debe realizarse luego en el centro el samākṣara-nyāsa, la colocación de sílabas iguales.
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, as the primary Agni Purāṇa discourse frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Mantra-nyāsa on a ṣoḍaśadala-padma (sixteen-petalled lotus): distribute varṇa/akṣara classes across petals, then perform samākṣara-nyāsa in the center to stabilize the mantra’s core seed/identity.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Ṣoḍaśadala-padma: varṇa-petal sequence and samākṣara-nyāsa in the madhya","lookup_keywords":["ṣoḍaśadala padma","mantra nyāsa","samākṣara nyāsa","varṇa-vibhāga","petal placement"],"quick_summary":"Assign the mantra’s syllables across the sixteen petals according to the intended letter-classes/sequence, then place the equalized/core syllables in the lotus center to complete the nyāsa."}
Concept: Akṣara as śakti: outer differentiation (petal sequence) and inner identity (central samākṣara) together complete mantra-body (mantra-śarīra).
Application: In practice, keep the petal order consistent with the chosen tantra/ācārya-paramparā; conclude by centering attention on the madhya-nyāsa for dhāraṇā and japa-siddhi.
Khanda Section: Tantra-Mantra & Yantra (Puja-vidhi / Mantra-nyasa and lotus-diagram instructions)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sixteen-petalled lotus diagram filled with syllables on each petal; the center contains a compact cluster of equal/core syllables, indicating samākṣara-nyāsa.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, vivid lotus with sixteen petals, each petal bearing a Devanagari syllable, central bindu with clustered akṣaras, priest performing nyāsa with right hand in mudrā","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-highlighted sixteen-petalled lotus, embossed central medallion for samākṣara, ritual lamps and flowers, rich red-green palette, devotional yet diagrammatic","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean instructional layout: sixteen petals numbered, akṣaras neatly written, center emphasized with concentric circles, calm studio-like setting","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, manuscript page aesthetic with illuminated border, precise calligraphy on petals, scholar annotating the center placement, delicate pigments and fine brushwork"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: समाक्षरन्यासःसरोजे = समाक्षरन्यासः + सरोजे (ः + स → स्).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 342 (nyāsa and padma-yantra sequence)
FAQs
It teaches mantra-nyāsa: assigning syllables/letters onto a sixteen-petalled lotus (petal-series) and then performing a central “samākṣara” (uniform/equal-syllable) placement as part of yantra-based worship or meditation.
It preserves a precise, technical ritual procedure—letter/syllable mapping on a lotus-diagram—showing the text’s coverage beyond mythology into applied liturgy, mantra-science, and diagrammatic (yantra) practice.
Nyāsa sacralizes the body/diagram by “installing” mantra-power in ordered locations; the centered samākṣara placement signifies stabilization and inner integration, supporting concentration, purification, and efficacy of worship.