Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 12
Trailokya-mohinī Śrī-Lakṣmī-ādi-pūjā and Durgā-yoga
Protective and Siddhi Rites
हेमकुम्भधराश् चैते कर्णिकायां श्रियं स्मरेत् चतुर्भुजां सुवर्णाभां सपद्मोर्ध्वभुजद्वयां
hemakumbhadharāś caite karṇikāyāṃ śriyaṃ smaret caturbhujāṃ suvarṇābhāṃ sapadmordhvabhujadvayāṃ
Ceux-ci portent des aiguières d’or ; dans le péricarpe du lotus, on doit se souvenir et méditer Śrī (Lakṣmī), à quatre bras, rayonnante comme l’or, les deux bras supérieurs levés et tenant des lotus.
Lord Agni (in dialogue with sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Stotra","practical_application":"Śrī/Lakṣmī dhyāna within lotus-maṇḍala: visualize Lakṣmī in the lotus pericarp with attendants holding golden pitchers; used for śrī-sādhana, prosperity rites, and āvaraṇa-pūjā.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Karnikā-sthā Śrī (Lakṣmī) dhyāna with hema-kumbha-bhṛt attendants","lookup_keywords":["Śrī","Lakṣmī","karnikā","hema-kumbha","caturbhujā"],"quick_summary":"Place Lakṣmī in the lotus pericarp as four-armed and golden-radiant, with two upper arms raised holding lotuses, attended by figures bearing golden pitchers—an exact visualization template for Śrī worship."}
Alamkara Type: Upama
Concept: Śrī is invoked through centered visualization: the deity in the core (karnikā) with orderly attendants—symbolizing abundance, purity, and stability.
Application: In Śrī-pūjā, keep the mental image anchored at the ‘center’ (karnikā) and let attendants and offerings radiate outward, reinforcing focus and ritual coherence.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Śrī/Lakṣmī-dhyāna and lotus-maṇḍala visualization)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A lotus maṇḍala with Lakṣmī seated/installed in the pericarp, golden-radiant and four-armed; her upper hands raised holding lotuses; attendants around her holding golden pitchers.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: central lotus with prominent pericarp; Lakṣmī in golden hue, four arms, upper arms uplifted with lotuses; attendants bearing golden kumbhas; symmetrical sacred composition, bold outlines, deep reds/greens.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: Lakṣmī in the lotus center with heavy gold foil work, embossed halo, gem-like ornaments; attendants with golden pitchers; rich silk textures and ornate arch framing the mandala.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: elegant Lakṣmī iconography with soft shading; clear depiction of four arms and raised lotus-holding hands; attendants with kumbhas; diagrammatic lotus-pericarp emphasis for instructional clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: Lakṣmī in a stylized lotus medallion, attendants offering golden pitchers; delicate floral borders, fine jewelry detail, subtle gold highlights, serene courtly atmosphere."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Shree","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: धराश् चैते = धराः + च + एते; सपद्मोर्ध्वभुजद्वयाम् = स-पद्म + ऊर्ध्वभुजद्वयाम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 307 (Śrī-dhyāna and lotus-maṇḍala sequence)
FAQs
It teaches a precise dhyāna (visualization) for Śrī/Lakṣmī: placing her in the lotus’s central pericarp (karṇikā) and specifying her iconography (four arms, golden hue, upper hands holding lotuses), along with attendant kumbha-bearers.
Beyond mythology, it preserves practical ritual technology—maṇḍala/lotus visualization, deity iconometry, and worship cues—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage of pūjā-vidhi and tantric-style dhyāna alongside other sciences.
Meditating on Śrī in the lotus-center is intended to invoke auspiciousness (śrī), prosperity, and inner purity by stabilizing the mind on a defined divine form during worship.