Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 16
Chapter 21 — सामान्यपूजाकथनम्
Teaching on General Worship
अर्कासनं हि हं खं ख सोल्कायेति च मूर्तिकाम् ह्रां ह्रीं स सूर्याय नम आं नमो हृदाय च
arkāsanaṃ hi haṃ khaṃ kha solkāyeti ca mūrtikām hrāṃ hrīṃ sa sūryāya nama āṃ namo hṛdāya ca
Pour l’āsana d’Arka (le Soleil), on doit employer les syllabes mantriques «haṃ, khaṃ, kha» et la formule «solkāya» afin d’établir la forme divine (mūrti). Ensuite, réciter : «hrāṃ hrīṃ sa—hommage à Sūrya», et accomplir le nyāsa du cœur avec : «āṃ—hommage au cœur».
Lord Agni (teaching ritual procedure to the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Surya-puja mantra-nyasa: establishing the deity-form (murti-bhavana) and performing hridaya-nyasa with specified bija-syllables during worship.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Surya-mantra-nyasa for Arka-āsana and Hṛdaya-nyāsa","lookup_keywords":["Surya-nyasa","Arka-asana","bija haṃ khaṃ","hrāṃ hrīṃ","hṛdaya-nyāsa āṃ"],"quick_summary":"Gives the seed-syllables used to consecrate the Sun’s seat and to install Sūrya in the heart-center via nyāsa. Practical use is in daily/occasional Sūrya-upāsanā with correct bijas and limb-placement."}
Concept: Mantra as śakti that ‘places’ divinity into body-centers (aṅga/hṛdaya) and into the worship-seat (āsana).
Application: Use precise bijas and nyāsa order to stabilize attention (bhāvanā) and protect ritual integrity.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Surya-mantra-nyasa (Tantric ritual instructions)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A worshipper performs Sūrya-pūjā: consecrating a radiant solar āsana, visualizing Sūrya’s form, then touching the heart for hṛdaya-nyāsa while reciting bijas.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style: Sūrya as a radiant deity with halo, seated on a lotus-āsana; priest in white performing nyāsa touching the chest; warm red-gold palette, stylized flames of solar aura, minimal background shrine elements.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: central Sūrya with embossed gold halo and ornate arch; lotus seat emphasized; devotee at lower corner performing heart-nyāsa; rich jewel tones, heavy gold work on the solar aura and ornaments.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: instructional composition showing sequence—āsana-sthāpana then hṛdaya-nyāsa; fine linework, soft shading; labels for bijas ‘haṃ khaṃ kha’ and ‘hrāṃ hrīṃ sa’ near the respective actions.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: courtly yet devotional scene of a small shrine with a solar icon/yantra; practitioner touching heart; delicate architectural frame, detailed textiles, luminous sun-disc motif above."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Sūrya-associated morning mood (e.g., Bhairav/Bibhas family)","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सोल्कायेति = सोल्काय + इति; नमो हृदाय = नमः + हृदाय (विसर्ग-लोप/ओ-आदेश).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 21 (Pūjā-vidhi: nyāsa, aṅga-nyāsa, mūrti-sthāpana); Agni Purana sections on mantra-lakṣaṇa and devatā-dhyāna
FAQs
It gives a practical Surya-upasana procedure: using specific bīja-syllables for the Arka-āsana and mūrti-sthāpana, followed by Sūrya-invocation (hrāṃ hrīṃ … namaḥ) and hṛdaya-nyāsa (āṃ namo hṛdayāya).
Alongside myths and dharma, the Agni Purana preserves applied ritual technology—seed-mantras, deity-energizing syllables, and nyāsa mappings—showing its coverage of mantra-śāstra and pūjā-vidhi as a technical discipline.
By correctly invoking Sūrya with bīja-mantras and performing heart-nyāsa, the practitioner ritually ‘installs’ divine presence and purification in the inner self, aiming at protection, clarity, and merit through disciplined worship.