Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 4

अध्याय ५१: सूर्यादिप्रतिमालक्षणम्

Characteristics of the Images of Sūrya and Others

Devanagari script

मुद्गरशूलचक्राब्जभृतोग्न्यादिविदिक्स्थिताः सूर्यार्यमादिरक्षोन्ताश् चतुर्हस्ता द्विषड्दले

Transliteration

mudgaraśūlacakrābjabhṛtognyādividiksthitāḥ sūryāryamādirakṣontāś caturhastā dviṣaḍdale

Translation

Dans les directions intermédiaires, à commencer par Agni (le sud-est), on placera des divinités à quatre bras, portant une massue, un trident, un disque et un lotus. À partir de Sūrya et d’Aryamā jusqu’au gardien du nord-est, elles sont disposées sur le lotus aux deux rangées de six pétales.

Word by Word

• मुद्गर-शूल-चक्र-अब्ज-भृतः: bearing mace, spear, discus and lotus
• मुद्गर-शूल-चक्र-अब्ज-भृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुद्गर + शूल + चक्र + अब्ज + भृत् (कृदन्त; धातु √भृ (धातु))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘भृत’ = धृत/धारयन् (past participle/agentive usage); तत्पुरुषसमासः—मुद्गरशूलचक्राब्जानि बिभ्रति

• अग्नि-आदि-विदिक्-स्थिताः: situated in the intermediate directions beginning with Agni
• अग्नि-आदि-विदिक्-स्थिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्नि + आदि + विदिक् + स्थित (कृदन्त; धातु √स्था (धातु))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘स्थित’ = स्थिताः (past participle); तत्पुरुषः—अग्न्यादिषु विदिक्षु स्थिताः (in the intermediate directions beginning with Agni)

• सूर्य-अर्यम-आदि-रक्षः-अन्ताः: (groups) beginning with Sūrya and Aryaman, ending with a Rākṣasa
• सूर्य-अर्यम-आदि-रक्षः-अन्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य + अर्यमन् + आदि + रक्षस् + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—सूर्यः अर्यमा आदिः येषां, रक्षोन्ताः (ending with a Rākṣasa/‘rakṣaḥ’)

• चतुर्-हस्ताः: four-handed
• चतुर्-हस्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; द्विगुसमासः (चत्वारः हस्ताः येषां)

• द्वि-षड्-दले: in the twelve-petalled (lotus)
• द्वि-षड्-दले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि + षड् + दल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः; अधिकरण (locative): ‘in the (lotus) with two sets of six petals / twelve-petalled’

Speaker

Lord Agni (in dialogue with sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa frame)

Vidya Category

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Vastu","practical_application":"Mandala/yantra-based placement (nyasa) of vidik (intermediate-direction) deities on a lotus diagram for puja, homa, and temple floor-plans; helps priests and artists map deities to petals with correct attributes.","sutra_style":true}

Encyclopedic Reference

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Vidik-devata Nyasa on Dvi-ṣaḍdala Padma (Two Sets of Six Petals)","lookup_keywords":["vidik devata","Agni adi vidik","dvi-ṣaḍdala padma","mudgara shula chakra abja","mandala nyasa"],"quick_summary":"Intermediate-direction deities beginning with Agni are installed on a lotus mandala of two six-petal sets; they are four-armed and bear mace, trident, discus, and lotus, arranged from Surya/Aryaman onward up to the north-east guardian."}

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nyasa as sacralization of space—ordering directions and petals to mirror cosmic order (dik-cakra).

Application: Construct a lotus mandala (12 petals in two hexads) and place deities by direction with correct ayudhas to stabilize protection and auspiciousness in rites.

Khanda Section

Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Mandala-Devata-Nyasa (Directional deities in lotus/yantra arrangement)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual lotus diagram with two rings of six petals; intermediate-direction deities placed on petals starting from Agni (SE), each four-armed holding mace, trident, discus, and lotus; sequence labeled from Surya/Aryaman to the NE guardian.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, top-down lotus mandala with two six-petal sets, deities in vidik positions, four arms with mudgara-shula-chakra-padma, strong outlines, sacred geometry emphasized","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, ornate lotus mandala with gold embossing on petal edges, each deity seated on a petal with four arms and weapons, rich jewel tones, symmetrical devotional diagram","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional yantra-like composition, clean lotus geometry, deities rendered delicately with clear weapon identification, minimal background, emphasis on placement accuracy","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, precise geometric lotus with fine floral borders, small deities on petals with detailed weapons, calligraphic neatness, balanced negative space"}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi (ritual steadiness)","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: ...अब्जभृतः + अग्न्यादि... → ...अब्जभृतोग्न्यादि...; ...विदिक् + स्थिताः → ...विदिक्स्थिताः; सूर्य + अर्यम + आदि + रक्षोन्ताः → सूर्यार्यमादिरक्षोन्ताः; चतुर् + हस्ताः → चतुर्हस्ता; द्वि + षड् + दले → द्विषड्दले

Cross References

Related Themes: Agni Purana 51 (mandala-devata placement around Surya); Agni Purana puja-vidhi sections on padma-mandala and dik-nyasa

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Sūrya
• Aryamā (Aryaman)
• Vidik (intermediate directions)
• Rakṣa (directional protector/guardian)

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It teaches mandala/yantra procedure: how to station four-armed deities in the intermediate directions (vidiks), specifying their emblems (mace, trident, discus, lotus) and their placement on a twelve-petalled lotus (dvi-ṣaḍ-dala).

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Beyond mythology, it preserves practical liturgical engineering—directional mapping, iconographic attributes, and geometric layouts (lotus-petal mandalas) used in temple worship and tantric-style installations.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

Correct placement and iconography are treated as essential for invoking the intended directional protections and harmonizing the ritual space, thereby supporting purity, obstacle-removal, and the efficacy (siddhi) of worship.