Agni Purana — Mantra-shastra, Shloka 13
The Root-Mantra of Tvaritā
Tvaritā-mūla-mantra
विषरक्तेन संलिख्य श्मशाने कर्परे बुधः षट्कोणं दण्डमाक्रान्तं समन्ताच्छक्तियोजितम्
viṣaraktena saṃlikhya śmaśāne karpare budhaḥ ṣaṭkoṇaṃ daṇḍamākrāntaṃ samantācchaktiyojitam
L’adepte doit l’inscrire avec du sang mêlé de poison, sur un tesson de poterie au champ de crémation : une figure hexagonale, envahie par la marque du bâton (daṇḍa) et pourvue tout autour de śakti-s (puissances/armes).
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s ritual-technical sections)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Abhicāra-oriented yantra inscription using transgressive materials (poison-blood) on a potsherd in śmaśāna, forming a ṣaṭkoṇa with staff-mark and surrounding śakti markers.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Śmaśāna-kapāla/kārpara ṣaṭkoṇa-yantra: viṣa-rakta-lekhana with śakti-parivāra","lookup_keywords":["śmaśāna sādhana","viṣa-rakta","kārpara","ṣaṭkoṇa yantra","śakti-yukta"],"quick_summary":"In cremation-ground practice, inscribe a hexagonal yantra on a potsherd using poison-mixed blood, add a staff-overmark, and place śakti-signs around it to empower the rite."}
Concept: Ugra-sādhana employs liminal space and potent substances to intensify mantra-śakti through fearlessness and strict ritual containment.
Application: If studying historically, treat as a model of ‘place + medium + geometry + āvaraṇa’ as the fourfold structure of tantric operation (without endorsing harmful acts).
Khanda Section: Isana-kalpa / Tantra-mantra (Yantra-lekhana in śmaśāna-sādhana context)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At night in a cremation-ground, an adept inscribes a hexagonal yantra on a potsherd using dark red ink, a staff-like mark crossing it, with small śakti symbols arranged around the perimeter.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, nocturnal śmaśāna with stylized flames and banyan silhouettes, adept drawing ṣaṭkoṇa on potsherd, ring of śakti glyphs, dramatic contrasts","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central yantra on a shard with gold outlining the hexagon and śakti ring, dark background suggesting cremation-ground, minimal figures, ornate border","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, precise geometric rendering of ṣaṭkoṇa and daṇḍa-overmark, annotated śakti placements, subdued cremation-ground backdrop","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed cremation-ground scene with a scholar-adept crouched over a shard, fine red-black inkwork forming the hexagon, small symbols encircling, moonlit atmosphere"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"intense","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: daṇḍamākrāntaṃ → daṇḍam + ākrāntam; samantācchaktiyojitam → samantāt + śakti-yojitam (t→cch sandhi)
Related Themes: Agni Purana 311 (śmaśāna-yantra and abhicāra sequence)
FAQs
It teaches yantra-lekhana: drawing a ṣaṭkoṇa (hexagonal/hexagram) diagram on a potsherd in a śmaśāna, using poison-mixed blood, and completing it with daṇḍa-marking and surrounding śakti-elements for a forceful ritual application.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purana preserves practical ritual technologies—materials, locations, and geometric constructions (yantras)—showing its wide scope across mantra, tantra, and applied ceremonial procedures.
Because it specifies a cremation-ground setting and transgressive materials, it signals a high-intensity rite traditionally treated as potent but hazardous; its significance lies in channeling śakti through strict procedure, implying serious ethical and karmic responsibility for the practitioner.