Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 4
Chapter 47 — शालग्रामादिपूजाकथनं
Teaching the Worship of Śālagrāma and Related Sacred Forms
मध्यमा मूर्तिपूजा स्याच्चक्राब्जे चतुरस्रके प्रणवं हृदि विन्यस्य षडङ्गङ्करदेहयोः
madhyamā mūrtipūjā syāccakrābje caturasrake praṇavaṃ hṛdi vinyasya ṣaḍaṅgaṅkaradehayoḥ
Le mode « intermédiaire » du culte de l’image s’accomplit dans un cakrābja (roue-lotus) inscrit dans un carré. Après avoir établi le Praṇava (Oṁ) dans le cœur, on doit effectuer le nyāsa aux six membres (ṣaḍaṅga) sur les mains et sur le corps.
Lord Agni (in dialogue, instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Intermediate (madhyamā) murti-pūjā procedure: constructing a cakrābja within a square maṇḍala, installing Oṁ in the heart (hṛdaya-nyāsa), and performing ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa on hands and body to ritually ‘animate’ worship and protect the sādhaka.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Madhyamā Mūrti-pūjā: Cakrābja, Praṇava-hṛdaya-nyāsa, Ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa","lookup_keywords":["madhyamā pūjā","cakrābja","praṇava nyāsa","ṣaḍaṅga nyāsa","caturasra maṇḍala"],"quick_summary":"For the intermediate mode of image-worship, draw/visualize a wheel-lotus within a square, place Oṁ in the heart, then perform six-limbed nyāsa on hands and body to establish mantra-śakti and ritual protection."}
Concept: Mantra is internalized through nyāsa; the body becomes the locus of devatā-śakti before external worship.
Application: Use hṛdaya-praṇava and ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa as a preparatory step to stabilize attention, sanctify the body, and ensure ritual correctness.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Murti-puja and Tantric Nyasa)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual diagram: a square maṇḍala containing a lotus-wheel (cakrābja). A priest/sādhaka touches heart and then hands/body points performing nyāsa, with Oṁ visualized at the heart-lotus.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat vibrant colors, a sādhaka seated before a square maṇḍala with a lotus-wheel inside, right hand touching heart (Oṁ glowing), then touching limbs for ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa, minimal background, sacred geometry emphasized","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, rich gold leaf highlights on the square maṇḍala border and lotus-wheel, priest in traditional attire performing hṛdaya-nyāsa, Oṁ rendered in gold at the chest, ornate ritual vessels nearby","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, delicate linework showing the cakrābja within caturasra, stepwise depiction of nyāsa points on hands and body, instructional clarity, soft palette","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed mandala on a cloth, priest performing nyāsa with precise hand gestures, fine architectural interior of a shrine room, calligraphic Oṁ motif at the heart"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्याच्चक्राब्जे = स्यात् + चक्राब्जे; षडङ्गङ्करदेहयोः treated as a multi-member compound; vinya(s)ya is ktvā-gerund from vi-ni-√as/nyas ‘to place’.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 47 (Pūjā-vidhi: nyāsa, maṇḍala, dikpāla-yajana context)
FAQs
It teaches the madhyamā (intermediate) murti-pūjā procedure: worship using a cakrābja (wheel-lotus) diagram within a square, with praṇava (Oṁ) placed in the heart and ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa applied to hands and body.
It preserves precise, technical liturgical details—yantra geometry (square and lotus-wheel), mantra placement (praṇava in the heart), and embodied ritual technique (ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa)—showing the Purana’s coverage of practical temple/tantric worship alongside other sciences.
By installing Oṁ in the heart and sanctifying limbs through nyāsa, the practitioner ritually consecrates body and mind, making worship more inwardly purified and efficacious, thereby supporting merit (puṇya) and spiritual focus.