Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 1
Chapter 48 — Account of the Hymn to the Twenty-Four Forms
Caturviṁśati-mūrti-stotra-kathana
इत्य् आदिमहापुराणे आग्नेये शालग्रामादिपूजाकथनं नाम सप्तचत्वारिंशो ऽध्यायः अथाष्टाचत्वारिंशो ऽध्यायः चतुर्विंशतिमूर्तिस्तोत्रकथनं भगवानुवाच ओंरूपः केशवः पद्मशङ्खचक्रगदाधरः नारायणः शङ्खपद्मगदाचक्री प्रदक्षिणं
ity ādimahāpurāṇe āgneye śālagrāmādipūjākathanaṃ nāma saptacatvāriṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ athāṣṭācatvāriṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ caturviṃśatimūrtistotrakathanaṃ bhagavānuvāca oṃrūpaḥ keśavaḥ padmaśaṅkhacakragadādharaḥ nārāyaṇaḥ śaṅkhapadmagadācakrī pradakṣiṇaṃ
Ainsi, dans l’Agni Purāṇa, s’achève le quarante-septième chapitre intitulé «Exposé du culte de Śālagrāma et d’autres formes sacrées». Commence maintenant le quarante-huitième chapitre, «Exposé de l’hymne aux Vingt-Quatre Formes (de Viṣṇu)». Le Seigneur Bienheureux déclara : «Keśava est de la forme de Oṃ, portant le lotus, la conque, le disque et la massue. Nārāyaṇa porte la conque, le lotus, la massue et le disque, et doit être adoré par la circumambulation rituelle (pradakṣiṇa).»
Bhagavān (the Lord, in context: Viṣṇu-form stotra teaching within Agni Purāṇa narration)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Stotra","secondary_vidya":"Shilpa","practical_application":"Use as a dhyana-and-archana guide: visualize Viṣṇu’s caturbhuja form with specified āyudhas and perform pradakṣiṇā while reciting the name-form.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Caturviṃśati-mūrti Stotra—Keśava & Nārāyaṇa (āyudha-krama, pradakṣiṇā)","lookup_keywords":["Keśava","Nārāyaṇa","caturbhuja","śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma","pradakṣiṇā"],"quick_summary":"Defines two of the twenty-four Viṣṇu-forms by name and by the ordered arrangement of conch, discus, mace, and lotus; prescribes worship with circumambulation."}
Alamkara Type: Nāma-stuti (epithetic enumeration)
Concept: Nāma-rūpa-upāsanā: the One Lord approached through specific name-forms marked by emblems; Oṃ as the sonic form (praṇava) supporting dhyāna.
Application: During pūjā, align mantra (name), yantra/dhyāna (form), and kriyā (pradakṣiṇā) to stabilize attention and devotion.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Vaishnava worship; Shalagrama and Murti-stotra)
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A four-armed Viṣṇu identified as Keśava and Nārāyaṇa, each holding lotus, conch, discus, and mace in a specified order, with devotees performing pradakṣiṇā around the deity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, deep earthy reds and greens, caturbhuja Viṣṇu labeled Keśava and Nārāyaṇa, clear śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma, devotees in white mundu doing pradakṣiṇā, lamp-lit sanctum ambience","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central Viṣṇu with four arms holding conch discus mace lotus, heavy gold foil halo and ornaments, small inscription panels ‘Keśava’ and ‘Nārāyaṇa’, devotees circumambulating, rich jewel tones","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean linework and soft shading, instructional layout showing two panels for Keśava and Nārāyaṇa with labeled āyudha placement, minimal temple background, emphasis on iconographic clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined courtly palette, Viṣṇu in jeweled attire with four emblems, attendants and devotees walking in a circular pradakṣiṇā path, architectural frame of a shrine, fine floral borders"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: इत्य् → iti; ऽध्यायः → adhyāyaḥ (avagraha). Compounds segmented as per title/epithet formations; final 'pradakṣiṇam' appears as an incomplete continuation in the provided excerpt.
Related Themes: Agni Purāṇa: Śālagrāma-pūjā/arcana-vidhi section immediately preceding this chapter; Agni Purāṇa: Caturviṃśati-mūrti/nāma-stotra sequence continuing in subsequent verses
FAQs
It introduces a Vaishnava worship-stotra framework: identifying specific Vishnu-forms (Keśava, Nārāyaṇa) by praṇava association (Oṃ-rūpa) and by precise iconographic attributes (lotus, conch, discus, mace), along with the ritual act of pradakṣiṇā (clockwise circumambulation).
Alongside narrative markers, it catalogs practical liturgical data—names, mantric identification (Oṃ), and iconographic permutations of weapons/emblems—showing the Agni Purāṇa’s compendium style that preserves ritual manuals, stotras, and temple/home worship protocols.
By linking Vishnu’s forms with the praṇava and prescribing reverential worship actions like pradakṣiṇā, the verse frames devotion as a purifying, merit-generating practice (bhakti with correct upacāra), aligning the worshipper with auspicious order and protection symbolized by the Lord’s emblems.