Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 9
Vāsudevādi-pratimā-lakṣaṇa-vidhiḥ
Iconographic and Iconometric Procedure for Vāsudeva and the Vyūha Forms
हृदये च तथा कार्यं कण्ठे सूत्रद्वयं तथा ललाते चापरं कार्यं मस्तके च तथापरं
hṛdaye ca tathā kāryaṃ kaṇṭhe sūtradvayaṃ tathā lalāte cāparaṃ kāryaṃ mastake ca tathāparaṃ
De même, qu’on le fasse au cœur ; et à la gorge qu’on place une paire de fils. Qu’une autre pose soit faite sur le front, et de même une autre sur la tête (sommet).
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Nyāsa/āvaraṇa-style placement of sacred threads or mantra-points on heart, throat, forehead, and crown during pūjā or consecration rites.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Aṅga-nyāsa points: hṛdaya, kaṇṭha, lalāṭa, mastaka","lookup_keywords":["nyāsa","hṛdaya","kaṇṭha","lalāṭa","mastaka","sūtra-dvaya"],"quick_summary":"Lists upper-body nyāsa placements: heart, throat (paired), forehead, and crown. Used to ritually ‘seat’ power/identity in the body or icon through ordered placements."}
Concept: Śarīra/Pratimā as mantra-adhāra (a support for installing sacred power through ordered placements).
Application: Guides practitioners in consistent nyāsa sequencing to stabilize attention and ritual efficacy during pūjā/saṃskāra.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Mantra-nyasa (Ritual placement of sacred threads/mantras on the body)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritualist marks or touches heart, throat (with paired threads), forehead, and crown on a devotee or icon, indicating nyāsa points in a vertical sequence.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, priest performing nyāsa on a standing figure/icon, clear touchpoints at hṛdaya, kaṇṭha (two lines), lalāṭa, mastaka; lamp-lit sanctum ambience.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, priest and icon with gold-highlighted crown area, subtle thread placements, rich devotional setting with ornate arch and lamps.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional layout: frontal figure with four highlighted nyāsa points, priest’s hand gesture (mudrā) near each point, fine detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate ritual scene with precise gestures touching heart/throat/forehead/crown, delicate textiles, subdued palette, detailed facial expressions."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: sūtradvayaṃ → sūtra-dvayam; cāparaṃ → ca + aparam; tathāparaṃ → tathā + aparam.
Related Themes: Agni Purāṇa pūjā-vidhi / nyāsa-related passages (within the same ritual cluster around adhyāya 44)
FAQs
It teaches a nyāsa/rakṣā procedure: placing or performing prescribed protective placements—specifically at the heart, throat (with two threads/strands), forehead, and crown of the head.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purāṇa preserves practical ritual manuals—here, a concise instruction for bodily placements used in worship and protection rites, reflecting its compendium-style coverage of applied religious techniques.
Such placements are intended as rakṣā (spiritual protection) and ritual purification, aligning the practitioner’s body with sacred power-centers (heart, throat, forehead, crown) to safeguard and sanctify the rite.