Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 20
Chapter 49 — मत्स्यादिलक्षणवर्णनम्
Description of the Characteristics of Matsya and the Other Incarnations
चक्रं खड्गं च मुषलं अङ्कुशं वामके करे शङ्खशार्ङ्गगदापाशान् पद्मवीणासमन्विते
cakraṃ khaḍgaṃ ca muṣalaṃ aṅkuśaṃ vāmake kare śaṅkhaśārṅgagadāpāśān padmavīṇāsamanvite
Dans la main gauche (elle porte) le disque, l’épée, le pilon/masse (muṣala) et l’aiguillon (aṅkuśa) ; et elle est pourvue de la conque, de l’arc Śārṅga, de la massue (gadā), du lacet (pāśa), du lotus et de la vīṇā.
Lord Agni (in dialogue tradition, narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Shilpa","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Ayudha-allocation for an eight-armed (or multi-armed) deity: specifying which weapons/objects appear in left hand set and the complementary set including bow, noose, lotus, and vīṇā.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Ayudha-vinyāsa: Cakra–Khaḍga–Muṣala–Aṅkuśa (Left) with Śaṅkha–Śārṅga–Gadā–Pāśa–Padma–Vīṇā","lookup_keywords":["ayudha","cakra","khadga","pasha","vina"],"quick_summary":"Provides a canonical inventory and distribution of weapons/attributes: left-hand set includes discus, sword, pestle/club, and goad; the figure is also furnished with conch, Śārṅga bow, mace, noose, lotus, and vīṇā."}
Weapon Type: Discus, sword, club/pestle, goad, conch (as signal), bow, mace, noose
Concept: Symbolic integration of kṣatra (weapons) and vidyā (vīṇā/arts) within a single divine form.
Application: In worship-visualization, contemplate each attribute as a functional power: restraint (pāśa), guidance (aṅkuśa), protection (cakra/gadā), auspiciousness (padma), and knowledge (vīṇā).
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Murti-lakshana (Iconography of deities and their attributes)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A multi-armed deity with clearly displayed left-hand weapons (discus, sword, pestle/club, goad) and other hands holding conch, bow, mace, noose, lotus, and vīṇā—balanced as a mandala-like spread.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, multi-armed deity front-facing, left hands holding cakra-khaḍga-muṣala-aṅkuśa, other hands with śaṅkha-Śārṅga-gadā-pāśa-padma-vīṇā, saturated pigments, symmetrical aura, temple mural geometry","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, multi-armed icon with heavy gold embossing on weapons and jewelry, conch and discus prominent, bow and noose detailed, lotus and vīṇā rendered richly, ornate prabhāmaṇḍala","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional clarity: each hand-object crisply separated, soft gradients, delicate ornamentation, readable ayudha arrangement, calm yet powerful stance","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, multi-armed divine figure with finely painted weapons and musical instrument, intricate textiles, architectural niche background, meticulous detailing of bowstring, conch spirals, and lotus petals"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"fast","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शङ्खशार्ङ्गगदापाशान् resolved as a dvandva list: शङ्ख-शार्ङ्ग-गदा-पाशान्; padmavīṇāsamanvite treated as पद्म-वीणा-समन्विते (locative, agreeing with an implied स्थान/मूर्तौ).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 49.19–49.21 (continuation of multi-armed icon specifications)
FAQs
It gives murti-lakṣaṇa (iconographic) instructions—listing the specific weapons and emblems to be shown in the deity’s hand(s) for correct consecration-ready depiction.
Beyond myth, the Agni Purāṇa preserves applied temple-arts knowledge—standardizing divine attributes (āyudha/lakṣaṇa) used by sculptors and priests, alongside other sciences and ritual manuals.
Accurate iconography is treated as dhārmic correctness: it supports proper worship (arcana), steadies devotion, and is believed to yield merit by honoring the deity in an orthodox, ritually valid form.