Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 25
Chapter 21 — सामान्यपूजाकथनम्
Teaching on General Worship
तथा गं गणपतये च ह्रीं गौर्यै च श्रीं श्रियै ह्रीं त्वरितायै ह्रीं सौ त्रिपुरा चतुर्थ्यन्तनमोन्तकाः
tathā gaṃ gaṇapataye ca hrīṃ gauryai ca śrīṃ śriyai hrīṃ tvaritāyai hrīṃ sau tripurā caturthyantanamontakāḥ
« De même, on emploiera la bīja “gaṃ” pour Gaṇapati ; “hrīṃ” pour Gaurī ; “śrīṃ” pour Śrī (Lakṣmī) ; “hrīṃ” pour Tvaritā ; et “hrīṃ” avec “sau” pour Tripurā — le tout doit être formé avec la désinence du datif (quatrième cas) et s’achever par le mot “namaḥ”. »
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in ritual/mantra procedure)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Construct devatā-nāma-mantras by attaching bīja to the deity in dative (caturthī) and ending with namaḥ; used for japa and arcana (Gaṇapati, Gaurī, Śrī, Tvaritā, Tripurā).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Forming Bīja-Nāma Mantras with Caturthī and Namaḥ (Gaṃ–Gaṇapati, Hrīṃ–Gaurī, Śrīṃ–Śrī, Hrīṃ–Tvaritā, Hrīṃ+Sau–Tripurā)","lookup_keywords":["gaṃ gaṇapataye namaḥ","caturthī vibhakti mantra","tvaritā hrīṃ","tripurā hrīṃ sau","bīja-nāma"],"quick_summary":"Use the appropriate bīja, put the deity-name in the dative case, and conclude with namaḥ to create standard japa-mantras for specific deities."}
Concept: Mantra is a structured linguistic act: bīja + devatā-nāma (caturthī) + namaḥ; grammar supports ritual precision.
Application: Compose correct mantras without ambiguity; avoid case-ending errors in japa/arcana by following the caturthī + namaḥ rule.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Mantra-japa and Devata-nama-mantras)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A practitioner writes and recites formulaic mantras: gaṃ gaṇapataye namaḥ, hrīṃ gauryai namaḥ, śrīṃ śriyai namaḥ, hrīṃ tvaritāyai namaḥ, hrīṃ sau tripurāyai namaḥ—shown as a clean ritual/learning scene with rosary and palm-leaf manuscript.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, temple scholar-priest teaching mantra formation to a disciple, syllables gaṃ hrīṃ śrīṃ sau painted as decorative script bands, small icons of Gaṇapati, Gaurī, Lakṣmī, Tripurā in corners","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central Gaṇapati with gold halo and side panels of Gaurī, Lakṣmī, Tripurā, each with their bīja inscribed, ornate arch frame, gold embossing and rich reds","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional chart: columns for bīja, deity (dative), and namaḥ; neat calligraphy; small deity sketches; calm classroom-like pūjā setting","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, atelier scene with a yogin and a calligrapher composing mantras on paper, rosary and inkpot, small deity icons on a shelf, intricate borders and textiles"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गं गणपतये → gaṃ + gaṇapataye; लक्ष्यम्—‘चतुर्थ्यन्त-नमोन्तकाः’ is a technical compound describing mantra-endings; ‘सौ’ may represent ‘सौः’ in some traditions.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Vyākaraṇa-related notes embedded in mantra sections (case-endings in mantras); Agni Purana: Puja-vidhi japa/arcana rules for bīja usage
FAQs
It teaches the construction of devatā-invocation mantras using specific bīja-syllables (gaṃ, hrīṃ, śrīṃ, sau), formatted in the dative case and ending with “namaḥ,” for japa/nyāsa in worship.
Beyond mythic narration, it preserves practical liturgical grammar (case-endings in mantra formation) and tantric-style bīja usage for multiple deities, reflecting the text’s wide coverage of ritual technology.
Correctly formed namaḥ-mantras with appropriate bījas are presented as a disciplined method of devotion that supports purification, removal of obstacles (Gaṇapati), and auspiciousness/prosperity (Śrī), aligning worship with scriptural procedure.