Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 21
Mantra-paribhāṣā
Technical Definitions and Operational Rules of Mantras
पत्रे स्थितञ्च गाथाञ्च जनयेद्यद्यनर्थकम् मन्त्रं यः साधयेदेकं जपहोमार्चनादिभिः
patre sthitañca gāthāñca janayedyadyanarthakam mantraṃ yaḥ sādhayedekaṃ japahomārcanādibhiḥ
Si l’on produit (compose ou écrit) des vers et des chants dépourvus de sens, cela devient vain. Mais celui qui mène à la perfection ne fût-ce qu’un seul mantra par le japa (répétition), le homa (oblations), le culte et les pratiques connexes, accomplit réellement le but.
Lord Agni (in dialogue context of the Agni Purana, instructing the sage Vashistha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Alamkara","practical_application":"Prioritize meaningful, efficacious practice over empty verbal production; method for mantra-siddhi via japa, homa, arcana and allied rites.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Futility of meaningless verse vs efficacy of single mantra-sādhana","lookup_keywords":["japa","homa","arcana","mantra-sādhana","nirarthaka-gāthā"],"quick_summary":"Composing or writing meaningless songs/verses is fruitless, whereas perfecting even one mantra through disciplined japa, homa, and worship fulfills the aim. The verse contrasts empty speech with empowered sacred speech."}
Alamkara Type: Arthāntaranyāsa (supporting statement by contrast)
Concept: Śabda gains power through meaning, discipline, and ritual integration; practice outweighs empty verbosity.
Application: Structure daily sādhana: fixed japa count, periodic homa, and regular arcana; avoid dispersing effort into performative or meaningless recitation/composition.
Khanda Section: Mantra-sadhana and Ritual Practice (Puja-vidhi / Agneya-vidya)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A contrast scene: on one side, a poet scribbles meaningless lines on a leaf; on the other, a sādhaka performs japa with mālā before a small altar, offering ghee into a homa fire and doing arcana to a deity image.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural split composition, left: distracted writer with scattered palm leaves, right: sādhaka before homa-kuṇḍa and deity pedestal, strong reds/ochres, stylized flames and ritual vessels.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central sādhaka with mālā and homa fire, gold leaf on flame and ornaments, small deity icon for arcana, side vignette of discarded meaningless manuscripts.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic layout showing japa-homa-arcana sequence with clear ritual implements (mālā, āhuti spoon, bell, flowers), soft palette and fine detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate indoor ritual with detailed utensils and manuscripts, narrative contrast of vain scribbler vs focused practitioner, delicate shading and architecture."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shuddha Saveri","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्थितञ्च → स्थितं च; गाथाञ्च → गाथां च; जनयेद्यद्यनर्थकम् → जनयेत् यदि अनर्थकम्
Related Themes: Agni Purana 292.20 (proper mantra reception); Agni Purana 292.22 (siddha-mantra potency)
FAQs
It prioritizes mantra-sādhana: perfecting even one mantra through japa, homa, and arcana is taught as more efficacious than producing written verses or songs that lack meaningful spiritual purpose.
It exemplifies the text’s practical ritual-technology: alongside arts like poetry, the Agni Purana evaluates what yields real religious efficacy, framing mantra practice as a disciplined method with specific instruments (japa, homa, worship).
The verse implies that purposeful, disciplined mantra practice generates spiritual merit and attainment (siddhi), whereas meaningless composition is karmically and spiritually unproductive.